Notting Hill Carnival Strategic Review - Intelligent Space

a. NHCT take immediate steps to reduce the number and size of vehicles currently being
used on the Carnival route by:
i. Encouraging commercial and/or private sector companies wishing to take advantage
of any product placement opportunities at Carnival to sponsor a band/float.
ii. Setting limits on the maximum number of vehicles in each band.
iii. Enforcing vehicle size restrictions.
b. The MPS re-introduce the practice of allocating a police officer to each band/ float
(“Serial Band Officers”) for the duration of the Carnival weekend. The presence of an
officer who has the ability to communicate within a centralised command and control
structure will provide an important operational overview of the Carnival area. We also
believe that these officers can play a significant role in Carnival’s close-down strategy, by
ensuring that music is turned off on time and floats are guided back to their base camps.
5. We believe that the current circular design of the Carnival route is closely linked to the
problem of crowd density and congestion. The design of the processional route, absence of
rest areas and exit points, pedestrian flow systems (e.g., one-way routes), location of
stewards and police, and lack of signage significantly influence the safety of crowd
movement and dispersal. We therefore recommend:
a. The immediate introduction of a non-circular route that incorporates an effective
entrance and exit strategy for bands/floats.
b. The use of Hyde Park as a “savannah”. We believe that Notting Hill, is the historical
home of Carnival and must remain at the heart of the festival as the “Carnival Village”.
However, we are convinced that the interests of public safety and the inconvenience
caused to residents requires the creation of an open space dispersal point that will draw
crowds away from residential areas. Crowd management would be easier and safer in a
large open space such as Hyde Park.
c. That a detailed analysis of the current Carnival area be undertaken to assess the risks of
different route designs, pedestrian flow systems and operational plans. We believe that
the Carnival Safety Liaison Group should make use of the services of public and/or
private sector bodies specialising in crowd safety and management. This will facilitate
the establishment of an informed public safety planning process, which identifies
potential areas and patterns of crowd build up, dispersal and movement so that
alternative strategies can be developed and additional resources allocated to minimise
the risks to crowd safety.
Crowd Congestion
6. In view of the large numbers of people who now attend Carnival, it is our recommendation to
NHCT, MPS, RBKC and WCC that they agree to the relocation of those static sound systems
[and live stages] drawing crowds of over 5,000 people to more suitable sites within the
existing Carnival area, or to alternative venues such as the vicinity of the West London
Stadium on Wormwood Scrubs.
Carnival Activities & Content
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