Melbourne loves trams. St Kilda loves trams. And why not? They are fast, frequent and connected. But only if you can climb aboard. For disabled passengers and anyone who struggles with step-up trams, the network remains a daily reminder that access is still treated as optional.
The state government is legally required to make public transport accessible under the Australian Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002. Tram stops were meant to comply by the end of 2022, while trams have until 2032. Victoria has already missed the stop deadline.
And despite its devotion to a multi-billion-dollar transport infrastructure build, the state has no identifiable plan to meet the 2032 deadline for accessible trams.
More than two decades after the disability access requirements became law, only 18 per cent of tram services are accessible. (Source: VAGO)
So what’s not happening in St Kilda?
In St Kilda, the story is mixed and progress painfully slow. The biggest success story is Route 96, with level access from Acland Street to the city and beyond, except for one stop on Fitzroy Street.
Route 16 is disappointing. It enjoys level-access stops until Luna Park, then only at Balaclava Station and Dandenong Road and then nothing all the way to Kew. But not all the trams are low-floor — sometimes fewer than 30 per cent are.
In Port Melbourne, Route 109 has level-access stops and mostly low-floor trams. Heading to Malvern, Route 5 has some low-floor trams and tram stops on Dandenong Road.
The other local tram routes are access deserts. Routes 1, 12, 78, 3 and 67 offer no access.
There is some hope for Route 12, which terminates at Fitzroy Street. It has been scheduled to get G class trams in a few years, despite having only two level-access stops this side of the casino. But don’t hold your breath: the first new trams are promised to Route 59, from Airport West to the CBD; Route 57, from West Maribyrnong to the CBD; and Route 82, from Footscray to Moonee Ponds.
St Kilda Road access desert
Trams travelling along St Kilda Road after the junction on Routes 3 and 67 are never low-floor, making the five level-access stops nothing short of a cruel joke. Pictured above, PTV erected signs warning wheelchair passengers not to expect access.
And what about the trains?
Windsor station, despite being in an activity centre, remains moribund, with unsafe and unacceptably steep access ramps. They are difficult to climb and terrifying to descend. It should not still be this hard.
The author is a wheelchair user who lives 200 metres from a tram stop he can never use. The closest accessible tram stop is over 1 km.
Pollies face your transport questions
More frequent buses? Safer cycling? More accessible tram stops? A fair go for pedestrians? Fewer potholes? Cheaper PT? This pre-election forum will put your transport questions to local MPs. Registrations are now open for a pre-election transport forum featuring local MPs Nina Taylor, ALP MLA for Albert Park; Katherine Copsey, MLC for Southern Metropolitan; and David Southwick, MLA for Caulfield.
Chaired by Mayor Alex Makin, the free forum will tackle growth and infrastructure, safety and accessibility, and affordable transport, with questions from the audience.
[Reserve your seat now]
St Kilda Town Hall, Monday 14 September, 6.30 pm – 8.00 pm
Organised by the Metropolitan Transport Forum, which advocates on transport issues for 25 Melbourne councils and more than 4 million residents.
