Rose McArthur interview: The brains behind Gold Coast’s Commonwealth Games ghost town

TRANSPORT expert rejects that organisers got the traffic plan wrong – turning the Glitter Strip into a ghost town – and reveals what could have been done to help struggling businesses.

THE transport planning expert for the Commonwealth Games says organisers should advise Gold Coast businesses on how best to make a profit from the next major event.

Several Coast businesses reported their worst Easter in five years and blamed “traffic chaos” alerts for trade being down by more than 30 per cent in the first week of the Games.

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Traders have told the Gold Coast Bulletin their brief from organisers was to expect more foot traffic from venues in areas like the Southport CBD.

Transport expert Rose McArthur from Get Set for the Games. Photo by Richard Gosling

But in her first major interview since the event finished and in response to critics, Get Set for the Games Travel Demand Management technical director Rose McArthur:

* Strongly rejects that organisers got the transport plan wrong and turned the Glitter Strip into a ghost town.

* Is proud of the city’s residents for using trams, buses and trains along with car sharing on different routes to the M1.

* Reveals the city carried more people during the 11 days of competition than ever before in its history.

* Denies the aim was all about transporting athletes and officials and not worrying about businesses.

Traffic flowing freely at M1 at Oxenford during the Games. Photo by Richard Gosling

When asked what she would have changed about the program, Ms McArthur suggests Get Set for the Games could be expanded to a trade program which helped businesses.

“What I would do is I would ask for the program Get Set For The Games or equivalent to be supported by a trade investment one as well to show people on the Coast how to make business from a major event,” she said.

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“Because that wasn’t in my remit, it wasn’t something I was responsible for. But I think it’s something businesses probably could have actually benefited from.

“Learning about the commercial acumen that is needed for a Games — when to open your shop, when will the foot fall be outside if you’re a coffee shop outside the swimming … close on an Easter, open on the Games.

“You know there is a whole lot of commercial parts of this I think that the Coast would have benefited from.”

More police than tourists in Surfers Paradise. Picture Mike Batterham

Acting Mayor Donna Gates told the Bulletin: “Council would consider ideas such as a trade opportunity program, to assist businesses take advantage of major event visitors and patrons.

“We are acutely aware that small business remains our economic engine room.’’

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Southport Chamber of Commerce president Laird Marshall said businesses were not given specific information rather “there will be a lot of people in Nerang Street Mall”.

“That was the reason I thought Chinatown would be a hive of activity. I went there a couple of times and it was dead,” he said.

Transport and Main Roads estimates seven million trips were taken across the course of the event, with 5.5 million on the public transport network.

Traffic is quieter on Gold Coast roads during the Commonwealth Games. Picture Amanda Robbemond Gold Coast Highway, Surfers Paradise.

The G:link was a star performer with the trams carrying more than 1.1 million passengers. Rail estimated passenger trips to be more than 600,000 and Surfside buses conducted 2.3 million passenger journeys.

Asked how did organisers get the traffic predictions so wrong given warnings about a congested Pacific Motorway, Ms McArthur said the program of community engagement in the lead-up had worked.

People queued at Pacific Fair interchange for transport to the opening ceremony at Metricon. Some had been there for 2 hours. Photo of David Stephenson from Melbourne. Photo: Richard Gosling

The Get Set for the Games website had publicised maps with potential traffic hot spots but the congestion never eventuated.

“How did we get the transport situation so right,” Ms McArthur replied.

“We carried more people in our history over those eleven days of competition. They used different routes, different times, different modes, they walked and cycled in their droves.

“The transport system functioned incredibly well, the traffic was dispersed really efficiently over every available network.”

Fans waiting at the Broadbeach South tram station during the Commonwealth Games.

Ms McArthur said the overwhelming response from businesses since the Games finished was the traffic plan had worked.

She rejected suggestions that organisers knew there would be a mass exodus of the city or that it had occurred.

“We never gave commercial advice. We never ever, ever said you will have more trade, you will have more people,” Ms McArthur said.

“What we said was this road is going to be closed and you might need to look at the diversion routes, this road is going to be busy, you might need to look at travelling earlier or later on a different road.”

Rose McArthur from Get Set for the Games speaking at the launch of the traffic plan. Photo by Richard Gosling

Q&A WITH GET SET FOR THE GAMES BOSS ROSE MCARTHUR

Gold Coast Bulletin: Glasgow, there was less time to prepare than the Gold Coast.

Rose McArthur: From a travel demand management perspective we had less time to mobilise and really support the business community to understand what the changes would be. We had a longer running period here which was super helpful. And that was the feedback, that people said it was so fantastic to be informed.

B: Traffic wise, what were the specific challenges that the Gold Coast posed in the lead-up to the Games compared to other cities like Glasgow.

RM: It is 91 per cent car mode share and a linear city with low levels of existing public transport use.

Traffic flowing freely at M1 Oxenford. Photo: Richard Gosling

B: Was the situation changeable in terms of modelling and predictions – in other words, what did you know a long time out compared to just before the Games? Councillors were briefed just on the edge of the event that accommodation was down to 70 per cent, obviously much lower than expected.

RM: We knew what the Games transport overlay was, and therefore the information our community needed to know. As soon as we received new information, we shared it.

B: So looking at the interactive maps, what you predicted would happen and what actually happened – what was the difference?

RM: What we present was if nobody does anything differently this is the impact we are going to feel on the Coast. But if everyone just does their little something different ... we can keep the Gold Coast moving. That is exactly what happened. Could not be prouder. Could not be any more positive about how people of the Gold Coast took on board the message and what they did differently.

People queued at Pacific Fair interchange for transport to the opening ceremony at Metricon. Photo: Richard Gosling

B: Was the aim always first the athletes and then spectators got to the venues, when you put together the transport plan?

RM: No, absolutely not. My focus has always been the business community and background demand – people who live, work and play on the Gold Coast. That’s the whole purpose of our program. But we have to plan for spectator and athlete movements. Do you see what I mean? Do you see what that equation is?

B: Yes.

RM: So if the point you’re trying to get to is – does traffic equal business? No. Traffic equals too many people trying to use a finite piece of road space all at the same time. We didn’t have traffic. What we had was more people moving across the Coast but using different modes, different times and different routes.

B: So, is it unfair then and there were businesses – some businesses did well, some businesses didn’t do well – is it unfair for a business which didn’t do well to blame that lack of business on the traffic plan?

RM: There is no correlation between traffic jams on the M1 and levels of busyness in a shop in Surfers Paradise.

Owner of Devocean, Liz Milens, not happy with trade figures after recording their worst day ever. Picture: Glenn Hampson

B: Because it’s strange, from a non-expert outside perspective it looked like the Coast was very quiet. What you’re saying is the same amount of traffic if not more was spread and people were using public transport.

RM: Yes. The Star got its freight deliveries overnight. A lot of businesses went for overnight deliveries to get their goods in – Coles, Woolworths, The Star. The movements were happening.

B: Did you get any get information suggesting there was a mass exodus from the city before the Games?

RM: Nothing at all … it was not the experience nor was it what we ever promoted.

B: I think the only information that came forward was a Griffith Business study where they said it was very hard to predict what would happen with businesses and residents on what they do during that period, and there could be some that could have left.

RM: I agree completely. We’re not a commercial entity. We never gave commercial advice. We never ever said you will have more trade, you will have more people. What we said was this road is going to be closed and you might need to look at the diversion routes. This road is going to be busy, you might need to look at travelling earlier or later on a different road. We actually sent out the Griffith University report to every single person who attended a workshop to say read this, it’s excellent, it’s got a really strong view of what hosting a major event looks like.