Melbourne’s tram network is a crucial public transport mode, with 205 million trips taken each year.
In Victoria, 17 per cent of the population lives with some form of disability. A person with a mobility restriction cannot have, in any practical sense, an accessible tram journey without both a level-access stop and a low-floor tram.
This report finds that tram services are not meeting the accessibility needs of passengers with mobility restrictions. In 2018–19, only 15 per cent of tram services delivered a low-floor tram at a level-access stop.
Department of Transport (DOT) has not met legislated targets for accessible tram infrastructure and cannot comply by 31 December 2022. Based on the trend to date, DoT is also at risk of not meeting the 31 December 2032 tram compliance requirement. The lack of a finalised strategy or a funded plan means DOT does not know when all tram services will be fully DDA and DSAPT compliant.
The 10 recommendations are aimed at improving DOT’s legislative compliance and their understanding of the accessible infrastructure gap and the costs and benefits of tram stop works. Better public information on tram accessibility and the need to link tram network planning to accessibility outcomes is a key focus of the recommendations.
Download report` (off-site)- Topics:
- Inclusion and access, Transport
- Author:
- Victorian Auditor General Office
- Date published:
- Thu 15th Oct, 2020