Melbourne public transport: Tram and vehicle collisions increase post Covid

There’s been a sharp increase in the amount of serious tram-to-vehicle collisions, with incidents happening an average of three times a day.

State government data has revealed an increase in tram and vehilce collisions. Picutre: Luke Costin

There’s been a shocking increase in the amount of serious tram-to-vehicle collisions, state government data has revealed.

Tram and vehicle collisions increased by 60 per cent last year compared to the previous year, as revealed by the Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll on Sunday.

In 2022 there were 960 vehicle-to-tram collisions, including 166 serious collisions.

This equates to almost three collisions a day on average.

Comparatively, there were 104 serious collisions recorded in 2021 and 88 serious collisions recorded in 2020.

Tram vehicle body builder Pat Byrnes shows the Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll a recently repaired tram. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Yarra Trams acting chief executive Adele McCarthy said the number of collisions were “worse than the years before Covid”.

“Some of our trams take months to be able to rehabilitate them and get them back on the network,” Ms McCarthy said.

In January there were 10 accidents between a tram and a vehicle recorded in a single day.

Mr Carroll said that 95 per cent of the time these incidents were caused by cars on tram tracks.

These include cars that have driven in front of trams or have overtaken another vehicle unsafely around trams.

He said there were steep financial costs whenever a tram needs repairing.

“It can cost anything from $500,000 up to a couple of million dollars,” Mr Carroll said.

“It is so disruptive to our public transport network and equally disruptive for our road network,” he said.

Pat Byrnes working on a tram at the Yarra Trams. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

“There is no excuse for doing a U-turn in front of a tram.”

Mr Caroll said the state government with Melbourne Council had introduced concrete bollards, which reduced collisions on some the city’s busiest tram routes.

However Mr Carroll said it was up to motorists to drive safely and responsibly around trams.

“We will certainly continue to advertise the importance of either motor vehicles, garbage trucks or cyclists not riding or driving on tram tracks,” he said.

“We need motorists to heed the warnings and slow down because trams cannot swerve and they are the equivalent of 30 rhinos.”