Question details
Brunswick electorate
My constituents with a disability, and with mobility issues such as elderly constituents, are asking when they will be able to use the trams that run on Sydney Road.
This requires installing accessible platform stops so that all people, including those with prams, wheelchairs or difficulty with steps, can safely and easily get on and off trams.
I also note that car traffic is slowly building up towards prepandemic levels on Sydney Road, and that the government is still to take action to make the road safer for bike riders by installing separated bike lanes.
So my constituency question to the minister is—when will we see an upgrade to Sydney Road, consistent with the proposal chosen by the majority of the community in the VicRoads survey, that includes accessible platform tram stops and separated bike lanes?
The Andrews Labor Government is committed to delivering a more accessible public transport network, this includes the challenging task of upgrading Melbourne’s century old tram network, which is the largest in
the world.
In our time in office, we have delivered 76 new accessible tram stops with a further 14 in the funded pipeline. The 2021 State Budget included a $42.4 million investment in uplifting tram network performance and $25.4 million to deliver accessibility and usability upgrades across the public transport network. This includes upgrades to 1,200 Melbourne tram stops with braille plates and tactile ground markings, as well as improved lighting, weather protection and road markings at 40 priority stops.
Accessibility on the tram network also requires appropriate rolling stock, and that is why we have invested
$700 million for the delivery of 50 E-Class Trams and supporting infrastructure as well as $1.48 billion to design and manufacture 100 Next Generation Trams in the biggest single investment in trams in decades.
We continue to investigate options for streamlining the design and construction of accessible tram stops and prioritising tram stop upgrades across the network. The priority of each corridor on the tram network, including Sydney Road, will be considered within the context of the needs of tram passengers, other road users and local and State government plans.
In the meantime, smaller scale initiatives have already been rolled out to improve road safety on Sydney Road. In July 2021, DoT installed green pavement marking and “Watch for Cyclists” signs at all intersections along Sydney Road between Bell Street and Park Street to improve awareness of bicycle movements at conflicting areas
The Hon Ben Carroll MP
Minister for Public Transport Minister for Roads and Road Safety