The Victorian Government has announced the construction of a new tram maintenance facility in Melbourne’s western area which will serve the 100 new next generation trams.
The facility will be built on a vacant site in Maidstone near Highpoint Shopping Centre, creating around 280 jobs in construction, ongoing maintenance, and the supply chain.
The government is continuing to expand its Melbourne tram fleet, with the AUD 1.85 billion (USD 1.34 billion) project in Maidstone set to become the home of the new trams as existing depots reach capacity.
“We are leading the nation in tram and train manufacturing, and this project will support hundreds of skilled jobs. This new facility will play a critical role as we transform Melbourne’s iconic tram network and deliver better and more accessible services for passengers,” Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said.
The new trams will set the standard for modern public transport and deliver a more comfortable, accessible, and energy-efficient journey for passengers. The project also includes a minimum local contract quota of 65 per cent, supporting skilled manufacturing jobs.
The contract to design, build and maintain the trams will be awarded in early 2022 following a tender evaluation process.
Alongside the government’s orders of 50 E-Class trams since 2015, the next generation trams will gradually replace Melbourne’s longest serving high-floor trams, making the public transport network more accessible for all citizens.
The project team will engage with the local community and businesses before detailed planning begins and will consider how the development can best celebrate the history of the local area.
The tram maintenance facility will see a more reliable, accessible and modern tram fleet servicing communities in this part of Melbourne, reducing the need for new tracks and other infrastructure.
Melbourne’s 250 km tram network is operated by more than 475 vehicles ensuring over 200 million trips per year. Yarra Trams owns 9 depots across Melbourne.
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