Tram projects and programs
The State Government is introducing a number of initiatives to improve and expand the operation of Melbourne's historic tram network.
Information on this page
Latest news
- The State Government has entered into new contracts for the Melbourne metropolitan train and tram franchises. Keolis Downer EDI (KDR) will operate the tram network which will continue to be branded 'Yarra Trams'.
Current initiatives
The Premier has released The Victorian Transport Plan. The plan will support Victoria's growth by transforming our transport network. View
The Victorian Transport Plan for the latest information on planned tram projects.
- The 2009-10 State Budget includes a $5 million commitment to speed up the delivery of up to 50 new low-floor trams, as outlined in the Victorian Transport Plan. This year's funding will initiate a competitive tender process and begin advance design works on the Preston tram depot. An invitation for Expression of Interest for the supply of these trams has closed (20 August 2009) and two companies, Alstom and Bombardier, were shortlisted. These companies will be invited to tender before the end of the year. By 2012/13 the first of these low floor trams, which will be considerably larger than those already on the network, will begin arriving.
- The Government will allocate a further $50 million to extend the Think Tram program until 2010/11. This will also include buses in the traffic priority measures that improve travel times, reliability and safety along the busiest parts of Melbourne's tram and road network. The 2008-09 State Budget included a further $37.8 million allocation for targeted tram and bus priority programs.
- In 2006 $250 million was allocated to improve public transport accessibility over the next 10 years. $130 million has been spent on train, tram and bus improvements in the last four years and a further $150 million has been assigned for improving public transport accessibility. $130 million of this figure has been allocated to tram and bus infrastructure.
- There are currently about 300 platform stops across the network. See Tram accessibility for more details.
- Keep Melbourne Moving - In April 2008 the Victorian Government announced a $112.7 million package of short term initiatives in the Keeping Melbourne Moving (KMM) plan designed to address congestion within 10km of Melbourne CBD, where most traffic is concentrated. Refer to the fact sheet for more details of the plan. For updates on the implementation of KMM strategies, visit the VicRoads website.
Other projects include:
- St Kilda Road Tram Strategy - launched on 18 February 2008, the St Kilda Road strategy aims to improve the reliability, safety and accessibility of tram services along this busy corridor. Stage 1 works were completed in June 2008, involving the construction of a new platform tram stop, a section of third track that allows trams to change direction without disrupting other services, and a dedicated turning lane at Southbank Boulevard to allow turning trams to do so without delaying trams behind. Visit the Yarra Trams website for more details. A major tram stop upgrade along the length of St Kilda Road is to follow.
Completed initiatives
Extension of Route 48 to Victoria Harbour, Docklands (Sep 2009)
Tram route 48 has been extended so that it travels direct to the bustling Victoria Harbour precinct of the Docklands. The route previously ran from North Balwyn to Waterfront City via Flinders Street now travels via Spring Street and Collins Street to its new terminus at Victoria Harbour. The improvement was made possible thanks to a 500 metre track extension.
Victoria Harbour is home to about 12,000 employees and 6,000 residents and those numbers are expected to swell to 40,000 and 17,000 respectively by completion of construction. Additional peak capacity has also been provided on Route 86 from Bundoora, Route 112 from West Preston and along Bridge Road. Overall, a total of 114 new weekly tram services have been introduced across routes 48, 70, 75, 86 and 112 as a result of the timetable changes associated with the improvements.
New Timetables for St Kilda Road Tram Routes (July 2009)
More than 100 new weekly tram services were introduced on the St Kilda Road Routes on July 20. Half of the 102 new services will benefit passengers travelling to and from the city during morning and afternoon peak times, particularly passengers travelling southbound from Flinders Street for destinations in St Kilda Road in the mornings.
City Circle extended to Waterfront City (May 2009)
The City Circle tram service was extended into Waterfront City and the Southern Star Observation Wheel in Docklands on May 31, 2009.
Additional tram services to St Kilda beach on weekends (January 2009)
Weekend tram services going to the popular St Kilda Beach precinct were boosted from 31 January 2009, with an additional 43 services and an extension to route 3 through the precinct on weekends.
Additional tram services routes 55 and 112 (July 2008)
Tram services between West Coburg and Domain Interchange and between St Kilda and West Preston were boosted from July 2008, with additional weekly trams running along Routes 55 and 112.
Docklands Tram extended into Waterfront City
Tram route 86 (Bundoora RMIT - Docklands) was extended into Docklands Drive and Waterfront City in July 2008 to create a direct link between Southern Cross Station into the heart of Docklands. This significantly increased the frequency of tram services into Docklands Drive, with trams running every four minutes in peak periods and every six minutes during off-peak times and during the day on weekends.
Tram Route 30 (La Trobe Street shuttle from St Vincent's Plaza) now terminates at Docklands in Harbour Esplanade (Central Pier). The tram service changes have been introduced ahead of the opening of the Southern Star Observation Wheel in October 2008.
Tram Lanes Highlighted (July 2008)
Tram priority was improved in Brunswick and Fitzroy in July 2008 with flashing tram lanes during peak times to allow quicker tram journey times.
City Circle Tram hours extended (April 2008)
The operational hours for the City Circle tram were extended in April 2008 to continue to operate from 10am to 9pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Additional off-peak tram services routes 86 and 96 (July 2007)
Off-peak tram services on Route 86 and 96 were boosted in July 2007, with an additional 15 weekly services on Route 86 and an additional 28 weekly services on Route 96. This extended the 15 minute evening frequency of these routes by 1 hour on Monday-Thursday and Saturday nights. On Friday nights, the 15 minute evening frequency was extended by 3 hours to Bundoora (Route 86) and 1 hour to East Brunswick and 2 hours to St Kilda (Route 96). The frequency of Route 96 was also increased on Sundays during the day time, from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes in response to strong demand between the city and St Kilda Beach.
Late night services (September 2006)
Operating hours of trams on Friday and Saturday nights were extended from September 2006. $29.3 million was provided to deliver two extra services to all city services and the Chapel Street service. The new running times see the last trams leaving the city between 1am and 1.25am.
Other Projects
Five new trams for the Metropolitan Tram System
In February 2008, the Victorian Government announced five new trams would be leased from France to run along Melbourne's busiest tram route 96. The first of these trams entered service in June 2008, and these trams will remain in service on the Melbourne network until the end of 2011.
tramTRACKER
Yarra Trams introduced
tramTRACKER in October 2006 to enable passengers to call or SMS into a remote tram tracking system to find out when the next three trams will arrive in real time.
Tram 109
The Tram 109 project has been delivered in stages on route 109 in Melbourne to improve the accessibility, reliability and effectiveness of tram travel. It included extending the route from Mont Albert to Box Hill which was officially opened in May 2003
Knox Transit Link
The Knox Transit Link, incorporating the Vermont South Tram Extension, officially started on Sunday 24 July 2005. The project provided an integrated tram and bus service to enable residents in Melbourne's eastern suburbs to travel from Knox City to Melbourne City.
Docklands Drive tram extension
The tram extension into Melbourne’s Docklands precinct was launched on 4 January 2005. The $7.5 million project extended tram route 30 (La Trobe Street-St Vincent’s Plaza) and route 48 (North Balwyn to Docklands via Flinders Street) by almost one kilometre from La Trobe Street along Harbour Esplanade and down Docklands Drive. The project was jointly developed by the Victorian Government and Yarra Trams.
W-Class trams
W-Class trams operate on the City Circle service, the Chapel Street/Church Street service (Route 78/79) and in La Trobe Street to Docklands (Route 30).
The new tram contract with Keolis Downer EDI (KDR) which commences on 30 November 2009, requires 38 W-Class trams to be maintained for the tram network.
The Government has ensured continuation of the heritage W-Class trams by ompleting an extensive upgrade program. W-Class trams now have significantly improved braking systems, speedometers and pantographs (connector from tram to overhead power supply).
In response to noise concerns, W-Class trams do not operate on the Chapel Street service (Route 78/79) on weekends, or on weekdays before 7.00am and after 7.00pm.
The tram fleet will be expanded by the Government's $1 billion commitment in The Victorian Transport Plan to procure up to 50 new low-floor trams. The first of these new trams will be rolled out onto the network in 2012/13.
The Government remains committed to the continued use of these heritage vehicles on the tourist oriented City Circle service. For the first time ever, the City Circle tram services were not reduced in the evening when daylight saving ended in 2008. More recently, City Circle services have been extended to Docklands Drive to service the Docklands precinct.
Media releases
Please visit the Premier's website for
media releases.