The busiest Melbourne tram corridor will enter significant upgrades while a trial gets underway to expand the RideSpace initiative, a free online tool that inform passengers on how busy the train trip is and provides travel alternatives.
Until mid-July, the popular Federation Square/Flinders Street Station stop on St Kilda Road will undergo upgrades including a larger platform, improved disability access and new shelters, to reduce overcrowding and improve passenger flow between Flinders Street Station and the stop.
The works cover the replacement of 600 metres of tracks on Swanston Street and St Kilda Road as part of the upgrade, providing a safety boost for passengers, quieter infrastructure, and a reduced risk of derailments.
“This stretch from Southbank Boulevard through to Melbourne University is the busiest tram corridor in the world. These improvements will create a better travel experience for both commuters and people visiting some of Melbourne’s most popular attractions like Federation Square and the arts precinct,” Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said.
As more passengers return to the network, the real-time arrival and passenger capacity indicator RideSpace is being trialed on tram route 59 which travels between Essendon and the city. Over the coming months, this tram trial will assess passenger counting technology and data accuracy before being rolled out to passengers.
The St Kilda Road upgrade is part of the Victorian Government’s maintenance and renewal program, which delivered AUD 640 million (USD 48.45 million) of works across the Melbourne public transport network this financial year, improving reliability and passenger experience.
The St Kilda Road business precinct and Shrine of Remembrance will be accessed by the new Metro Tunnel project’s Anzac Station when it opens in 2025. The new station is strategically located to ease pressure on the St Kilda Road/Swanston Street tram corridor and will include an interchange with a tram super stop on St Kilda Road.
The 250 km-long Melbourne tram network served by 1,700 stops and nine depots is operated by more than 450 vehicles providing more than 5,000 daily ensuring over 200 million trips each year.
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