New information displays have been installed on 36 of Melbourne’s C-Class trams, in an effort to improve accessibility for passengers with vision or hearing impairments.
The low-floored trams with the new screens will service routes 48, 96 and 109. One screen of the dual-screen system display information on the next three trams tops, including on whether the stop is accessible for disabled persons.
The second screen displays planned service changes and information regarding Melbourne’s Free Tram Zone. Unplanned disruption information will only be displayed on trams affected by the disruption, in an attempt to avoid potential confusion for passengers on unaffected services.
“Real-time information helps passengers make informed transport choices and ensures a positive experience when travelling,” Yarra Trams’ executive director of passenger service delivery Edward Thomas said.
“By installing this new system, we’re able to better help our passengers with vision or hearing impairments, or those unaccustomed to the route, to get where the need to go.”
New loop strap hangers have also been fitted into the C-Class trams, replacing the anchor holds in an effort to improve passenger sightlines to the information screens.
As part of the project, five C2-Class trams have been fitted with the single-screen information system available on A, B and D-Class trams.
Over three quarters of Melbourne’s trams now possess on-board digital information channels, with approximately 300 trams in total receiving the systems through retrofitting over the last five years.
Interesting to see an anologue clock used. I understand that ZVV does that in Zurich because they found that people relate better to it for telling the time than a digital clock.
will it have information on connecting services? – or are will still running ‘competing’ systems?