A baseline from a typical parking pocket/bus stop to the market entrance, then through the first aisle. One pass at late morning. Small, measurable, fixable.
Method (short)
- Time and distance from arrival point to entrance (stopwatch + map distance).
- Crossing delay (three timings).
- Shade continuity on the walking line (% shaded).
- Seating spacing (metres between usable rests).
- Aisle width at entrance (three points).
- Queue spill into carriageway (metres).
- Vehicles stopping within 10 m of entrance (count over 10 min; sample dwell).
- Noise at entrance (30-sec A-weighted snapshot).
- Toilets/water and bin status (presence, distance, condition).
Run time: 30 minutes. Friday, 11:30. Weather: 29 °C, light breeze.
Route summary
Arrival to entrance: 340 m on mixed paving with one zebra crossing. First aisle heavily used for the first 20 m.
Observations and cheap fixes
| Item | Observed (11:30) | Cheap fix (≤ €500) |
|---|---|---|
| Walk time | 5 min 20 s at a normal pace in light crowd | None needed. |
| Crossing delay | 42 s, 39 s, 44 s (mean 42 s) | Repaint zebra + add give-way triangles; daylight noses with cones on market mornings. Paint + cone set ≈ €180. |
| Shade continuity | 38% shaded; longest unshaded gap 110 m | Clip a mesh span between two existing posts for midday segment; materials ≈ €230. |
| Seating spacing | 160 m gap with no rest | One slatted bench at midpoint, back to wall, 2.2 m setback from carriageway; supply + fixings ≈ €280. |
| Entrance aisle width | 2.2 m nominal, pinches to 1.45 m at 6 m in | Mark a 1 m setback line for first two stalls; chalk → paint after one week if it works; ≈ €60. |
| Queue spill into carriageway | 0.8–1.2 m spill at peak near churros stall | Tape a 10 m no-queue zone at the throat; relocate the queue to the right with a simple rope stanchion; ≈ €75. |
| Vehicles within 10 m (10 min) | 7 stops; average dwell 2.5 min; blocked entrance twice | Temporary no-loading box from setup to 13:00 with two A-frames; ≈ €140. |
| Noise at entrance | 66–69 dB LAeq over 30 s | Move the busker 15 m down the aisle by agreement; zero cost. |
| Toilets/water | Toilets 120 m away; no handwash; no obvious drinking water | Add a laminated arrow sign at entrance; trial a basic hand-gel stand; ≈ €35. |
| Bins | 2 bins within 30 m; one already >80% full | Add one extra bin for the first two hours only; shift a staff sweep to 11:45; bin hire ≈ €25/day. |
One change to do now (work order)
Two moves, same morning
- No-loading box: Keep the first 10 m of the entrance clear from 08:00–13:00 (market day).
- Stall setback: Chalk a 1.0 m setback line for the first two stalls at the throat.
Kit (10-minute set-up)
- 2 × A-frames with printed signs (A3 laminated): “No carga/descarga 08:00–13:00 — Acceso mercado”.
- 6 × cones (borrow if you can), 30 m hazard tape, 1 can line-marking paint or chalk.
- Tape measure, chalk stick, cable ties, clipboard.
Placement (do it once, then repeat weekly)
- Measure 10 m from the entrance throat along the kerb line; place cones at 0 m and 10 m on both sides.
- Run tape between cones; A-frames face inbound traffic.
- Chalk/paint a 1.0 m line behind the first two stall front legs; ask sellers to keep legs behind the line.
People
- One marshal (vendor volunteer or staff) posted 08:00–10:00 to redirect vans that try to nose in. After 10:00, cones and A-frames carry most of the load.
Cost (buy once, reuse)
- A-frames (2): ~€90
- Cones (6): ~€72 (free if borrowed)
- Tape + line paint/chalk: ~€17
- Printed signs + lamination: ~€18
Total: €115–€197 depending on what you can borrow.
Why this first
- We saw 7 vehicles per 10 minutes inside 10 m; blocking that space is what’s choking the entrance.
- The 1.0 m stall retreat should lift the pinch from 1.45 m to ≥1.8 m, so two prams can pass without a stand-off.
Next week: how I’ll judge it (one page, fill in the blanks)
Time windows: 09:30 and 12:30
- Vehicles stopping within 10 m (10-min count): Target ≤ 2; average dwell ≤ 1:00.
- Aisle width at 0 m, 6 m, 12 m: Target ≥ 1.8 m each.
- Two-pram pass in first 10 m: Target ≤ 10 s without backing up (time it once).
- Crossing delay (3 timings): Target mean ≤ 35 s (was 42 s).
- Bin status at 12:00: Target < 80% (extra bin + sweep held).
- Quick intercepts (3 people): “Easier than last week?” Record yes/no.
If ≥ 4 targets hit, keep the set-up for a month. If not, adjust below.
If it fails (cheap tweaks before meetings)
- Cones keep moving: Cable-tie cones to a short nylon rope between the two A-frames.
- Queue still spills: Place a “Fila aquí” sign 3 m inside the aisle and add one rope stanchion to hold the queue off the throat.
- Pinch persists: Extend the setback line to four stalls; same chalk and paint.
That’s it. Small kit, clear signs, one person for the first hour, and numbers next week to prove whether it helped.