Tram Procurement Program

Timeframe: The first of the 50 new trams is due to arrive in late July 2013.

Cost: Over $800 million for the new trams and associated infrastructure.

What's happening

On the 17 of April 2012, the Minister for Public Transport announced that commencement for the development phase of the Route 96 Project.

The project will include a series of investigations aimed at developing plans for upgrades and treatments across the 14km route that will aim to improve travel times, service levels, safety, accessibility and reliability.

Project description

In response to the need to improve the capacity and reliability of Melbourne’s tram network, the Victorian Government has allocated over $807.6 million to the Tram Procurement Program (TPP).

Delivered by Public Transport Victoria the TPP is a comprehensive package of upgrades, new infrastructure and extra trams.

The program will include:

• purchase of 50 new low-floor trams between 2012-2017
• upgrades to Route 96, which will be the first route the new trams will operate on
• redevelopment of the Preston workshop and Southbank depot, where the new trams will be stored and maintained;
• power upgrades and accessibility improvements to other low-floor tram routes.

 Route 96 Project

As part of the Tram Procurement Program, the Victorian Government is upgrading Route 96 as part of the arrival of the 50 new low-floor trams being added to Melbourne’s network.

Route 96 is a tram route that runs from the corner of Blyth and Nicholson Streets, East Brunswick, in Melbourne’s north through the CBD and down to Acland Street, St. Kilda, in Melbourne’s south.

Investigations planned as part of the Route 96 Project development phase will consider:

• new level access tram stops and termini,
• real-time information,
• segregation between trams and general traffic,
• tram priority at traffic signals and
• intermodal connectivity with train and bus timetables

The Route 96 Project development phase is a partnership between Public Transport Victoria, Yarra Trams and VicRoads and is expected to be completed by early 2013. 

View the media release.

For more information, see Route 96 Project.

Southbank Depot - Upgrade

On the 25 January 2012 the Premier and the Minister for Public Transport announced the $24 million upgrade of Southbank tram depot as part of the modernisation of Melbourne's tram network. The improvement project, to be delivered by Leighton Contractors, will enhance maintenance facilities for the existing tram fleet and the 50 new low-floor trams which are on order from Bombardier.

More than 50 jobs are being created as a result of the works which are expected to be complete by the end of September 2012.

50 New Trams

As part of the TPP Dandenong based company Bombardier will design, construct and maintain 50 new low-floor trams for Melbourne’s tram network.

• The first of 50 new trams will arrive on the network by late July 2013
• Manufacture of body shells and assembly of all 50 new trams will take place at Bombardier's Dandenong factory
• The new trams will be approximately 33 metres long and 2.65 metres wide
• The new trams will each fit more than 210 passengers
• Each tram will be fitted with CCTV

The trams will be accessible for people in wheelchairs on routes which are equipped with level access tram stops and be fully air-conditioned.

Melbourne will retain the five Bumblebee trams which have been on lease from the French city of Mulhouse since 2008. The Victorian Government is in negotiations with the French city of Mulhouse to purchase the low-floor trams.

Each tram will be able to carry more than 210 passengers which will help provide capacity for an additional 10,500 passengers during peak times. About 500 local jobs will be created as a result of the project.

The first of the 50 trams will enter service by late July 2013.