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Effective Crowd Controls

Putting effective crowd controls in place

Generally speaking, there are three main phases of an event which you can use to design an effective crowd management plan;

i. Arrival and entry

Depending on the size and complexity of your event, working closely with local police, local authority highways department and public transport companies create a safe crowd management environment for people travelling to and entering the venue.

This part of the plan;

  • Ensures safe and convenient site access
  • Minimise traffic and transport disruption

You may find that as part of event organisation you will need to;

  • Assist in road safety
  • Reduce potential congestion on surrounding roads
  • Manage slow traffic to the event

It may be possible by working with public transport companies to offer reduced rates of travel so that people entering and leaving the event could be staggered and spread over a wider pocket of time, rather than a short window.

For some events, such as sporting fixtures, this staggered exit may not be possible and you will need to plan accordingly.

ii. On-site circulation of crowds

You will need to plan and design the ‘interior’ of the event so that the flow of people is largely smooth, with free circulation around the event.

iii. Leaving the venue and dispersal

As people leave, whether on foot, via public transport or by car, the flow away from the event needs to be as free-flowing as possible to minimise congestion.

  • Clear signage for traffic routes and any one-way systems
  • Traffic management via trained event security staff can maximise flow and movement away from the event venue
  • Ensure there is a safe path for people to exit, taking into account stairs
  • Regular announcement both at the event and via public transport is essential for keeping people informed
  • Consider overflow spaces for when there are issues that could impact on crowd safety

Crowd management is an integral part of an event and although it appears to happen with little effort, it takes a pre-planning to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Envisage Security Staff offer a range of solutions for effective crowd management, including SIA licensed security personnel, marshals and stewards. We can be an integral part of your crowd control plan – call for more information 0844 800 0071.