The Science of Temporary Parking Management for Music Festival Sites.

A large outdoor music festival in a remote location must consider the car parking requirements for all site visitors. Personal cars remain the most popular means of transport to and from a festival site driven by convenience and lower costs. How should organisers plan and manage their temporary parking facilities to avoid congestion and enhance the festival-goer experience.

The old days of opening a nearby field for temporary car parking with little planning or control are thankfully in the past. The modern music festival now incorporates sophisticated planning processes to ensure all vehicles are parked efficiently and safely with minimal traffic congestion. Organisers utilise technology and even behavioural science in their logistical planning to provide a stress-free experience. What do organisers typically consider when planning their festival site temporary parking. 

Planning and Ground Preparation. 
A key element of any site planning is the correct allocation of space for temporary parking that allows for anticipated capacities. The location selected should be in areas not prone to flooding or getting water logged as well as minimising any environmental impact. The location should enable easy access to local infrastructures taking into account road networks and potential traffic chokepoints. On-site areas likely to be subject to high traffic volumes should be prepared with temporary ground surface protection like wood, geotextile matting or gravel for example. Zoning of parking areas needs carful thought taking into account the requirements of VIPs, staff, artists and visitors with accessibility needs making sure they are located closest to site entrance gates. A well thought out plan will also consider the potential traffic flow with one-way systems, clear signage instructions and barriers to manage traffic flows. An allowance of sufficient space for each car is essential along with room for typical parking maneuvers. 

Technology Assistance. 
Most organisers will pre-sell parking spaces and these can often be distributed to festival-goers in the form of QR codes or RFID tags which can be quickly scanned and verified at parking entrances. Festival-goers who pre purchase parking should be provided with accurate information on the site location using GPS co-ordinates along with a site layout plan indicating their allocated parking zone and relevant entrance gate. Organisers can install CCTV in parking zones to help monitor traffic flow so they can take remedial action in the event of a vehicle breakdown or accident for example. 

Staff and Volunteer Training. 
Many festival site car parking zones are managed by volunteers but organisers should ensure that a full-time member of the organising team has oversight of operations. Volunteers attending training sessions prior to an event that have been selected for parking duties should be appraised of the traffic management plans and understand traffic control protocols. This may also include a full understanding of emergency procedures and communication protocols in the event of accidents and breakdowns. In some cases, it may be prudent for volunteers to understand conflict resolution skills in the event of road rage incidents. Part of the parking zone duty is also ensuring security making sure that any suspicious behaviour is reported quickly for further action. 

Other Considerations. 
Parking and traffic congestion are often cited as major frustrations by festival-goers trying get access and egress to a festival site. This can be managed by allocating specific arrival times to those that have booked parking to help spread the traffic load. Organisers can help to alleviate unnecessary driver anxiety by providing clear and up to date signage and information so they are not left wondering what’s going on. Very large festival sites may require a more professional approach and organisers can consider contracting a traffic control specialist to help plan and manage on-site parking and traffic. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Didgeman via Pixabay

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