Required signs

Depending on the event size and your agreement and approval from the police and local authority, a wide range of signs may be required. Most of the types of signs that could be required are discussed below. Broadly speaking, signs can be divided into two classifications promotional and instructional. The following sections briefly discuss the various type and uses of signs.

Event and promotional signs

These are signs that advertise the event and which probably require planning permission so check with your local planning authority.

Event type and name

On the day of the event, large banners could be erected at the site describing and naming the event. This will have the benefit of advertising the presence of the show to passing traffic, and possibly attracting additional casual spectators on the day. It will also indicate to the public that they have reached their destination. Depending on planning permission, such banners could advertise the type and location of the event for several days or weeks beforehand.

Though most details are already shown on the handbills and tickets, adding date/time/entry fee/free parking etc. information to signs on site can have additional benefit. While sitting in the queue of cars approaching the site, the public knows from the sign that the display does not start for another hour, or that the gate fee is one pound per head. They will then know that they have plenty of time to get into the site, and they can begin to sort out their money before they arrive at the gate.

Off-site directional signs

These signs help people to get to the area of the event, or avoid it. Those attending may have to head for different gates, for example competitors or stallholders may have to go to Gate 2 only. If there are no specific direction signs at or near the event site, nobody will be getting to the right gate and your traffic management problem will be immense

Part of the traffic management role is to sort out the arrival of traffic. With the approval of the appropriate authorities, the following signs may be required:

• Through Traffic
• Village Avoiding Show Ground
• Coaches Only
• Competitors
• Staff Only
• Emergency Services
• Keep Gate Clear
• No Parking
• Fire Exit
• Cleaning Services
• Toilet Queue Here
• Event Manager Only
• Heavy Vehicles Only
• Caravans
• Car Park
• Car Park 1, Car Park 2, etc.
• Car Park Full
• Overflow Car Park
• Disabled Car Park
• Staff Car Park Gate 4, etc.
• Judges’ Car Park Gate 5, etc.
• Warning-Slow Moving Traffic
• Caution – Vehicles Turning Ahead
• Caution – Overhead Cables
• No Overnight Parking
• All Vehicles To Be Removed By 8pm
• Slow – Event Ground Ahead
• Unauthorised Cars Will Be Clamped.

On-site directional/location signs

Off-site signs are important to get stallholders, competitors and the public to the site in time and to make it easier for them to come in through the right gate. Informative and direction signs are just as important on site. They should be used where required and where possible on site, at a height of about 2.5 metres above ground level (to keep them above crowd level) so that they remain visible even when the crowds are in.

Signs will vary depending on the size and type, theme and content of the event, but the following signs are fairly common:

• Judges’ Parking
• Judges Only
• Event Ring
• Event Manager’s Office
• First In Class, etc.
• Overall Winner
• Lost children
• Drinking Water
• Toilets
• Public Telephones
• Way Out
• Main Display Arena
• First Aid
• Car Park 1/Elephant Car Park, etc.

Hold a brainstorming session with deputy managers to try to cover all possible aspects of your event. Apply common sense, though. List the signs you know you will need, and only consider making signs that the authorities approve. Do not make up signs that you may not need, or you will not be allowed to use.

Reminder signs

Though stallholders and judges etc. are usually given passes to allow them to enter the event ground and disabled drivers have disabled parking permits, for some unknown reason, they almost universally fail to display them.

When dealing with a constant flow of traffic, the marshals and any police officers do not want to have to stop and talk to every driver. If a car has no visible stallholder, judges’ or other pass displayed, it should be assumed that the driver is a member of the public and they should be quickly and efficiently directed to the public car park. There is nothing more annoying or disruptive to traffic managers than the sleepy driver who ignored the instruction to display their stallholder’s or member’s sign on the car windscreen, who then insists on searching the car boot to find it!

When you send out joining instructions for your event, make a prominent note that signs and badges must be clearly displayed and that vehicles without them will treated as members of the public with no exceptions. Make it clear that anyone who fails to comply and causes disruption will be asked to leave.

When you send the passes, make this mesage the first thing the recipient sees when they open the envelope, and repeat the message on every page you send them. Also, with the permission of the local authorities, erect early warning and reminder signs at least a mile or so each side of the entrances, preferably some distance before a lay-by to give them a place to safely stop, find and display their pass. It will help if the local authority allow you to note ‘Lay-by Ahead’ on the reminder sign.

If they fail to do so, they must be treated as a member of the public, or waved on to find their way around the approach roads again and come back into the circuit with their pass properly displayed. If it makes them late – it’s their own fault. Why should hundreds of people be delayed because one driver cannot follow a simple instruction?

Early warning signs

Early warning signs positioned some distance before car park and pedestrian gates will be of great help in avoiding congestion and delays at the gates, but you will need permission to erect them. You should point out to the local authority that they will be of huge benefit to the local community, passing traffic, and people attending the event in getting event traffic off the public highway. Be prepared to propose a safe location for such signs, and draft a design that they can see and hopefully approve. These signs should warn the public what fees they have to pay and ask them to have the right change ready. Thus a sign saying ‘Car Parking £ 1 Per Car – Correct Change Please’ will give the drivers enough time to have the money ready and reduce delays and traffic jams, therefore reducing the period during which there will be any potential risks on the highway.

Signs at car park exits

It is a good idea to post signs at car park exits giving onward journey information, such as:

• All Vehicles Turn Left Only,
• M4 – Left – Then Left At Roundabout,
• A456 – Right -Then Left At Lights,
• M3 – Left – Left At Roundabout Then Follow Signs,
• Bypass – Right – Then Left At Traffic Lights.

These signs can save a lot of time, to say nothing of the voices of car park staff when they are asked ‘Which way to the M4?’ for the six millionth time.

Sign-writing equipment

No matter how good you are, or how many events you have arranged before, you will never have all the signs that you require. That may not be a major disaster, but the inconvenience can be considerable.

Thank you signs

There is no harm in being polite, especially for charitable events, so consider placing a friendly sign above or at the main exit along the lines of ‘The Hospice Staff And Patients Thank You For Your Valued Support – Have A Safe Journey Home’. The cost is only a few pounds, and the effect can be a warm glow in the hearts of all attending and maybe a few voluntary donations!

Advertising next year

You may also wish to place a sign above the exits along the lines of ‘ACME Steam Event On This Site Saturday 25th And Sunday 26th August Next Year. Write It In Your Diary NOW!’