Over 90% of Melbourne’s trams will be refurbished as part of a Yarra Trams programme to overhaul the reliability and amenity of its services.
Older trams using the city network will receive a mechanical and electrical maintenance overhaul, as well as upgrades to the driver cabin and passenger saloon. Trams will be cleaned, windows will be replaced with tinted glass, panels will be repaired and new saloon lights installed.
C and D-Class trams and 150 low-floor trams will be included in the maintenance and refurbishment programme.
“This project is the centrepiece of Yarra Trams’ tram reliability program, as we work with the Victorian government to improve Melbourne’s tram network,” Yarra Trams’ executive director of asset performance and projects Anthea Antonio said.
“Melbourne’s trams range in age from brand new E-Class to heritage W-Class, and maintaining such diverse vehicles is a unique challenge.”
The programme accompanies the continuing roll-out of new E-Class trams into the fleet. The current Labor Government initially ordered 20 of the trams in 2015, spending $274 million; funding for a further 10 were provided in the 2016/17 budget. These add to the 50 previously ordered by the former Brumby government (and currently in service), and will eventually bring the total number of E-Class trams in operation on the Melbourne network to 80 by the middle of 2019.
Transport Safety Victoria data from last year showed that the average number of serious injuries per quarter on the Melbourne tram network rose from 7 to 13 over the previous 2 years, while the average number of slips, trips and falls rose in the same period from 44 to 60.
The state government indicated last year that better safety features for the E-Class design were added in response to a review that looked into passenger injuries on trams, including more grab rails, more stop request buttons, slip-resistant floors, and dedicated spaces for passengers with prams and mobility aids.
The most recent data indicates that tram collisions with people and collisions with road vehicles are at their highest in 5 years, while the number of reported slips, trips or falls on trams have risen by 140% over the same period.
In late May this year, The Age reported that E-Class tram manufacturer Bombardier had been in talks with the Victorian government to potentially introduce stereo camera systems to reduce collisions on new and existing vehicles.
The technology provides tram drivers with acoustic signal warnings when there is a risk of a collision.
“This technology has been in operation in more than four cities, we’re already getting feedback, and I would say that it’s not brand new technology. It’s been around for two years,” Bombardier’s president Laurent Troger told The Age.
“We are working with cities which are doing an outstanding job at improving the flow [of the tram service] and achieving an average speed that is much higher than other cities.”