Emergency Services Ready for Thousands at Newcastle 500

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The V8 Supercars will be roaring into Newcastle in less than a week, and local emergency services will be out in force.

Supercars Australia says they've worked closely with both local and state emergency services to ensure every measure is put in place to deliver a safe and enjoyable weekend in the city.

There will be a strong police presence both inside the precinct and on the outskirts of the city.

"We're making sure from a policing aspect this is a family friendly event so we will be targeting any anti-social behaviour and those who over-indulge in alcohol so be warned. But primarily one of the key messages is about traffic and we will have a very very strong traffic contingent up from Sydney and combined with our local traffic and highway patrol officers," said NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell.

Police say they're satisfied they can manage both traffic and crowds heading into the city and are urging everyone to take public transport if they can.

"It's very very important that you give yourself ample time. It will be congested, we know that but police will be out in force so I would strongly suggest if you have the opportunity of travelling on public transport I would do so," said Assistant Commissioner Mitchell.

"One of the key aspects is about people walking to the event and making sure they can flow quite well to this precinct," said Assistant Commissioner Mitchell.

Supercars Australia has set up a dedicated medical centre and personnel for East End residents which will be on the corner of Telford and Stevenson Place and open from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th November between 7am and 7pm.

"Supercars Australia has been working with local and state emergency agencies, both police, fire and ambulance to make we sure we have a comprehensive emergency service and safety plan for the event," said event organiser Kurt Sakzewski.

We want to make sure that everyone who is involved in this event whether they're a competitor, a spectator, resident inside the circuit and also those in the surrounding areas to make it a safe and enjoyable weekend."

In addition, there will be police, fire and ambulance services located inside the track precinct during the event.

"So in the case of an emergency as per usual if someone needs urgent assistance, if they can call triple zero and in most circumstances the response time will quite likely be faster than what they normally have because we've already got those services located inside the circuit," said Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell.

Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell, Event Manager Kurt Sakzewski,
Superintendent Greg Windeatt & Inspector Luke Wiseman from NSW Ambulance.

Newcastle 500 Transport Strategy Should make Travel a Breeze

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The transport plan for how thousands of people will be getting around during the Supercars Newcastle 500 event has finally been released.

There will be an integrated ticketing option with 300 additional buses and 90 more train services scheduled for the three-day event.

Park and ride services will be located not only from McDonald Jones Stadium to the Honeysuckle precinct, but also added across Newcastle Harbour at Stockton for the ferry service.

There will be two ferries running which can carry 200 passengers and crew each. The ferries will be running every 5 to 10 minutes.

Newcastle 500 Event Manager Kurt Sakzewski says the plan will easily enable 150,000 commuters to get in and out.

"We want to make sure all of those people can get in and out of the event in an easy manner and that's why we've introduced this integrated ticketing option so people will be able to come in whether it's via bus, ferry, train, in coming from Sydney and the outer regions,"

Event Manager Kurt Sakzewski.

"They'll be coming into Newcastle here, they'll be delivered to the gate and after the even, they'll take the same routes home as well," said Kurt Sakzewski.

The ticket you've purchased to get into the event itself will give you free public transport whatever it may be.

"The great thing about the integrated ticket is it doesn't matter what version of public transport that you want to take, you can get on a bus, get on a ferry, get on a train, you just show your event ticket and it just gives you access all of the way through for no extra cost," said Kurt Sakzewski.

Revitalising Newcastle Program Director Michael Cassel says they've tried to prepare for anything.

"We will have a command centre running throughout the three days to the event. That command centre will include everyone from police, event organisers, Keolis Downer, and people from NSW Transport so we'll be able to monitor what's going on and we'll be able to make changes as we move throughout the day and the night."

Event organisers have planned for people coming into the city from every possible way and they say this year will be a very good test to see how well they've planned.

"We can assess how it actually works after year one but we also keep an eye on where our ticket sales are from as well so gives us a little heads up but really it will be after the event itself that we will know the exact details and obviously in year two we will apply that to the plan," said Kurt Sakzewski.

Kurt admits it will be interesting to see how well people will be moved in and out of city on the Friday and Saturday nights but they've been working with police and every other transport agency to ensure everyone gets out in a timely manner.

The biggest piece of advice the organisers have is to catch public transport. Don't drive.

"We really want to encourage people to take public transport. All major events government use public transport to ferry people in and out and that would be the most efficient and least disruptive way to get in and out of the event," said Michael Cassel.

Newcastle Almost Ready for Supercars

BY TYLER FARDELL


Newcastle residents, start your engines!

We're just one month out from the Newcastle 500 supercars race and work to get the city 'race ready' is in the final stretch.

Come Monday, around 600 workers will begin work on erecting concrete barriers, grandstands and other temporary structures.

They’ll be working for an estimated 39 days right up until Friday the 24th of November.

Event manager Kurt Sakzewski says residents shouldn’t worry about the construction as it will not hang around for long.

“All this construction is only temporary and will be removed shortly after the race”, he said. “So we’re talking about the barrier blocks around the whole track, as well as the grandstands, bridges and other facilities”.

Next week will also see the re-opening of Watt Street to motorists, with the circuit now almost completely resurfaced. However, there’s no date as to when Shortland Esplanade will re-open to the public.

When the road re-opens, event organisers and police are aware it may attract many motorists who believe they are professional racers and decide to set the fastest lap time.

Kurt Sakzewski says any hoons will be caught.

“There will be a heavy police presence as well as CCTV cameras watching the track”.

“Any amateur racers will find the police are pretty quick themselves”.