Melbourne tram network again fails national accessibility standards
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- 1 day ago
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Melbourne’s tram network — the largest in the world — is still far from meeting national accessibility standards, with a new audit showing little progress over the past five years.
According to the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO), only 18% of tram services in 2023–24 were fully accessible, meaning low-floor trams aligned with level-access stops. Low-floor tram numbers have risen by just 3% since the previous review, and accessible stops have only increased from 27% to 29%.
For people with mobility challenges, the impact is significant. The report found they often wait up to 30 minutes longer for an accessible tram compared to other passengers.
The state government received 10 recommendations after the last review — but has completed only five. The Department of Transport and Planning has since sought legal advice over its failure to meet national accessibility deadlines and developed several strategies, none containing clear targets, timelines or funding.
The human cost is clear.
Terry Wesselink, 60, who lives with a connective tissue disorder and uses a mobility walker, says her nearest tram line often has steps and too few level platforms. She sometimes drives up to four kilometres just to reach an accessible stop.
“I’m not valued as a human being because my needs are not being taken into account,” she said.
One in five Victorians has a disability. Yet accessibility laws introduced in 2002 required tram platforms to be fully compliant by 2022 — a deadline Victoria has already missed. Current plans also suggest the state will miss the 2032 deadline for converting the entire fleet to low-floor trams.
Greens MP Katherine Copsey called the lack of progress “shameful” and urged the government to invest more urgently. Premier Jacinta Allan said her government is making upgrades, including through the Metro Tunnel project, but advocates say much more is needed to fix gaps between old and modern infrastructure.
As Ms Wesselink put it: “Level tram stops don’t come with ribbon-cuttings. They’re simple things we just need to do.”
Source : ABC News
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