Melbourne’s Mighty E-Class Trams Start Spreading Across Town

E-Class trams have begun running between West Preston to Docklands, the first time the new Melbourne-built trams have run outside Route 96.

Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, said the move was great news for passengers on Route 11, which is one of Melbourne’s busiest.

At 33 metres long, E-Class trams are Melbourne’s biggest, with capacity to carry more than 200 people. Their low-floor design, wide doorways and dedicated spaces for wheelchairs, scooters and prams also make them Melbourne’s most accessible.

Fifty E-Class trams were ordered by the former Labor Government. After a four year gap when the previous Liberal Government did not order a single tram, another 20 were ordered by the Andrews Labor Government as part of its long-term rolling stock strategy, released in May.

As these trams roll off the production line in Dandenong and onto Melbourne’s tram network each month, more and more routes across Melbourne will enjoy the benefits of the trams.

Tram stops along Collins Street are being upgraded to accommodate the new trams, and make them safer and more accessible.

Ms Allan also announced today a new automated travel information system on 130 B-Class trams.

The automated system will provide real-time travel updates to passengers, on screens in the tram and through announcements over the speakers, about where they are on the network and the stop they are approaching.

The initiative is part of an $8.4 million program to improve information for passengers and help them find their way on Melbourne’s tram network. Other recent improvements to real-time information include the installation of 50 tramTRACKER mini screens and 40 remote public address

units across the tram network.

The new automated passenger information displays will be introduced from later this month.

Source: News Release, Urbanalyst, 22 June, 2015

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/melbournes-mighty-e-class-trams-start-spreading-across-town