GAME PLAN KEY TO SUCCESS
BUSINESSES ACT NOW TO MINIMISE DISRUPTION
SMART Gold Coast businesses are taking the lead on Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games preparations as the big event draws closer.
Get Set for the Games’ travel demand management technical director Rose McArthur said businesses such as The Star Gold Coast were setting a great example for others across the region.
To date, 5000 businesses have registered with the Get Set for the Games Travel Advice for Business Program, and 1388 businesses have attended the free two-hour workshops.
“We’ve seen a whole range of people get involved at different times of the campaign,” said Ms McArthur, whose credentials include work on the transport plans for the London 2012 Olympics and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“We had some really good early adopters, people involved right from the start who want to make the most of the Games.”
The Star Gold Coast is based in the thick of the action at Broadbeach, and moved quickly to develop a comprehensive Games travel plan for its nearly 2300 team members.
The Star Entertainment Group general manager marketing Queensland Simon Proctor said that the business was offering alternate arrangements for parking offsite, encouraging carpooling and providing public transport tools such as pre-charged Go Cards.
The Star Gold Coast also promoted bicycle workshops for employees keen to use pedal power to get to and from work during the Games, he said.
“We have scheduled non-essential meetings to before and after the Games and all essential meetings will be held via teleconferencing to reduce travel,” Mr Proctor said.
“We’ve also made changes to delivery, service and maintenance schedules to ensure that our primary focus during the Games will be on core operational functions, and sharing in the celebration that is a momentous event for our city.”
Ms McArthur said more were now seeking help from the Get Set for the Games Travel Advice for Business Program, and it wasn’t too late to nut out a plan with 120 workshops to run.
“We’ve had 5000 businesses register with the program but there are 20,000 business across the Gold Coast, and we would love to help each and every one of them,” she said.
“I don’t think there’s anybody on the Coast who could look me in the eye and say, ‘My business won’t be affected’.”
Information about road closures and busy times on the network is available at the Get Set for the Games website (getsetforthegames.com).
For areas such as Southport, Surfers Paradise, Carrara, Coomera, Broadbeach and Coolangatta, the disruption to road conditions will be for the duration of the Games.
“People will have to understand the Gold Coast will not operate as it normally does,” Ms McArthur said.
“We’ve got lane restrictions on parts of the Games Route Network – there’s quite a lot to understand.”
With time running out, Ms McArthur urged businesses across the Gold Coast to get on board.
“The best thing is to look at the Get Set for the Games site and work out what days will be the busiest, and for how long locations will be affected.”
The next step is for businesses to put their plan to the test long before the Games opening ceremony on April 4.
“If you’re going to cycle (to work) do a test run; if you’re going to catch the bus try it out; if you’re going to work from home, test it, and make sure you’ve communicated your plan to customers and your suppliers and make sure everybody knows what your plan is,” Ms McArthur
said. “Our primary message is, we want you to have the best Games ever, we want you to make the most of these Games, but to do that you will have to make plans in advance.”
She said if all workers carpooled just twice a week, there would be a 40 per cent reduction in cars on the roads. Her own preference for getting around the Gold Coast during the Games is to cycle and she encouraged people to swap the car for a bike for trips less than 40 minutes.
“It’s warm, it’s flat and I just don’t know what could be better,” she said.
“Coming from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games or the London 2012 Olympics where it was either cold, rainy or with massive hills, I’ve come to the Coast and we’ve got this wonderful cycle-way infrastructure in place.
“I reckon if you can do a journey by bike in under 40 minutes that will be the quickest way to move around during the Games.”
Sign up for the Get Set for the Games Travel Advice for Business Program at getsetforthegames.com/business or call 1800 531 585