Pedestrian Management Plan Template Australia Free Checklist and Examples

Pedestrian Management Plan Template Australia Free Checklist and Examples

For builders, civil contractors and event teams who need safe, compliant pedestrian routes and faster approvals.

What a Pedestrian Management Plan is and why it matters

A Pedestrian Management Plan (PMP) sets how people move safely past your works. It sits inside your Traffic Management Plan (TMP) and is shown clearly on your Traffic Guidance Scheme (TGS/TCP) drawings so crews can set it out exactly. Done well, a PMP protects the public, reduces incidents, and shortens the path to council or VicRoads/DTP sign-off. In Victoria, councils generally manage road/footpath occupation on local roads, while the Department of Transport & Planning (VicRoads) authorises the use of traffic control devices on arterial roads via a Memorandum of Authorisation (MoA).

The standards you need to meet

Across Australia, authorities reference the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM) for planning, design, implementation and monitoring. Aligning your PMP/TGS to AGTTM language (tapers, buffers, sight distance, device lists, monitoring) makes assessment smoother and on-site set-out safer.

Your pedestrian route must also stay accessible. Use the Disability Discrimination Act framework and the AS 1428.1 technical standard for widths, gradients, landings and handrails (where required). Even for temporary paths, assessors look for continuous accessible travel without steps and with compliant ramps.

Council vs VicRoads/DTP, who approves what in Victoria

  • Local roads & footpaths: lodge a TMP (with PMP/TGS) to the local council for road/footpath occupation. Councils publish lists of required attachments and conditions.
  • Arterial roads (or devices on them): submit an MoA to DTP/VicRoads to authorise traffic control devices (temporary speed zones, lane closures, etc.). Some devices used on local roads may also require an MoA; fees depend on disruption level.
  • Road Occupation Charge (ROC): for declared inner-Melbourne arterials, a charge may apply for occupying lanes/shoulders. Check the declared road status early.

Pedestrian Management Plan template section by section

Use this structure in your document and mirror it on your TGS:

  1. Site details & contacts address, dates/hours, responsible persons, and after-hours contact.
  2. Existing conditions include footpath width, gradients/crossfalls, crossings, stops (bus/tram), driveways, and desire lines.
  3. Risks & controls   conflicts with plant/vehicles, sightlines, turning trucks, and night works.
  4. Accessible route design, minimum widths, ramp gradients/landings to AS 1428.1, surface condition, edges/kerbs, and handrails where needed.
  5. TGS references drawing numbers/scales, device list, taper lengths, controller positions, lighting.
  6. Wayfinding & comms sign legends, placement at every decision point, stakeholder notices (businesses, schools, PT operators).
  7. Monitoring & escalation daily inspections, surveillance logs, toolbox talks, and who approves changes.

Ready for a permit-ready pedestrian plan?

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Free checklist copy and adapt

  • Continuous route maintained (no dead ends)
  • Accessible ramps where levels change; lips bridged; surfaces firm and even
  • Minimum temporary widths achieved; pinch points removed or signed
  • Crossings protected; sight distance preserved at driveways/intersections
  • Lighting for night works and within hoardings/gantries
  • Wayfinding at every decision point; detours signed in both directions
  • Devices, tapers, buffers and controller positions per AGTTM and shown on the TGS
  • TMP covers emergency access and incident response
  • Insurances and competency evidence attached
  • Approval pathway confirmed: council occupation and/or MoA; allow realistic timeframes and any ROC if on a declared arterial.

Filled examples you can model

1. Narrow city footpath beside scaffold/hoarding

Shift pedestrians into the parking lane with water-filled barriers. Provide DDA-compliant ramps at each end, maintain minimum width, and add gantry lighting. Wayfinding every 25–50 m confirms the route. TGS shows scaled offsets, taper lengths and refuge points. Council consent is lodged with TMP/TGS.

2. Short crane lift with a pedestrian detour

For a 4–6 hour window, detour to the nearest signalised crossing. Mark marshal/refuge positions on the TGS, sign both approaches, and brief shops ahead of time. If frontage is on an arterial or devices encroach onto one, submit an MoA as well as council occupation.

3. PT stop impacted by works

Relocate the stop temporarily per operator advice; preserve tactile indicators and level access. Provide clear wayfinding to the temporary stop and include it on the TGS and notices. Coordinate with council and PT early to avoid resubmissions.

How to use the template step by step

  1. Walk the frontage map, desire lines, pinch points, driveways, bus/tram assets.
  2. Confirm road status local vs declared arterial; check events/PT calendars.
  3. Draft the PMP and mark the TGS with ramps, barriers, controllers, lighting.
  4. Check accessibility widths, gradients, landings to AS 1428.1.
  5. Assemble the pack   TMP + TGS + insurances + competencies.
  6. Lodge council occupation; if required, submit MoA to DTP/VicRoads.
  7. Brief & monitor toolbox talk, implement, maintain surveillance logs and update if conditions change.

Common mistakes that cause rework

  • Missing or generic TGS (not to scale, no device list)
  • No accessible route (ramps too steep, lips not bridged)
  • Detour signed one way only; no mid-block wayfinding
  • Ignoring school peaks, events or PT corridors in the program
  • Submitting only to council when an MoA is also required; missing ROC check for declared arterials.

Get a permit-ready pack

A strong pedestrian plan is simple on paper and powerful on site: align with AGTTM, keep routes accessible to AS 1428.1, submit the right approvals (council and when needed MoA), and allow realistic timeframes (plus ROC checks on declared arterials). Do those four things and you’ll keep people safe, cut delays and gain faster sign-off.

Pedestrian Management FAQs for Builders

Yes, authorities expect scaled drawings showing the temporary path, devices, ramps and controller positions. The TGS is what crews build from. austroads.gov.au

Follow AS 1428.1 guidance for clear widths and landings; ensure unobstructed travel and no steps on the temporary route.

Provide lighting wherever visibility is reduced inside hoardings/gantries and along diverted routes so the path remains safe and legible after dark. Councils often state this in their TMP attachment lists/conditions. melbourne.vic.gov.au

If your plan uses traffic control devices affecting an arterial (e.g., lane closures, speed changes) you’ll need an MoA from DTP/VicRoads sometimes even on local roads for certain device uses. Check early.

Allow a practical ~10–15 business days for straightforward council occupations; expect longer for arterials, event periods or complex interfaces. melbourne.vic.gov.au