Slow trams in Melbourne

[Mal Rowe]

The Age this morning has published data on actual speeds on Melbourne
tram routes on pages 2 and 3.

The information was obtained via a freedom of information request.

I have attached a screen shot of a summary graphic.  The data relates to
morning peak hour travel.

The reason is largely due to lack of tram lane priority in some streets
plus close spacing of stops plus slow loading where there are no
platform stops.

For those with an Age or SMH subscription, personally or through your
local library you can see the article at

https://edition.theage.com.au/shortcode/THE965/edition/6749849f-986e-19e8-2974-7d8dd84d0082?page=f8bed89e-3142-dd94-6652-4e44281df65c&

Mal Rowe who mainly travels off peak.

[TP]

As I've said previously, all those issues are down to lack of support from governments over the years, not the competence of the operation.

For comparison, I recall that the former Sydney system had a system-wide average of 19 km/h. The average speed of Sydney's modern L2/L3 (either line) is just under 17 km/h, which is pretty poor for a line in its own lanes and with so few stops, compared to Melbourne (average about 650-700 metres apart). Sydney's L1 has an average speed of just over 20 km/h, which is again poor for a system that, not only has its own lanes, but is completely grade-separated for the majority of the route (average stop spacing of about 580 metres, slightly longer than standard for the typical European tramway).. 

All in all, Yarra Trams need congratulating for doing as well as it does in very adverse conditions. Can they please come and operate Sydney's light rail?

Tony P

[Matthew Geier]

Transdev in partnership with John Holland took over the Melbourne franchise on 1st December 2024, so Transdev as been the operator of both the Melbourne network and Sydney's 4 tram routes since that time.

So far from Melbourne coming and taking over Sydney, Sydney took over Melbourne. :-)

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[TP]

I feel confident that the Melbourne team won't call on the Sydney team for assistance. The various Transdev operators seem to live within their own little cells anyway. It's just a common brand.

Tony P

[Matthew Geier]

Yes, one would hope the Transdev Australia don't get any ideas about Sydney or Paramatta being 'best practice' that should be exported to Melbourne :-)

Really it should flow the other way, Melbourne operational experience flowing to help Sydney and Parramatta along. But I'm cynical enough to expect that will never happen.

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[Geoff Olsen]

I think that we are losing sight of an important point. We are comparing apples with oranges as Sydney has a (drum roll clash of cymbals) “Modern light rail system” whereas Melbourne runs those funny old trams.

Sydney is of course a hybrid system being a light rail system with heavy rail safeworking and operating procedures.

Geoff O.

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[Mal Rowe]

On 29/04/2026 10:48, Mal Rowe wrote:

The Age this morning has published data on actual speeds on Melbourne tram routes on pages 2 and 3. 

There is at least one problem with the analysis by The Age.

They say: 

The Age obtained tram speed data from the state transport department through a freedom of information request. It divides the network into 509 segments and lists the average travel speeds along each segment in the morning commuter peak (7am to 9am) between December 2024 and August 2025. 

Then they quote Graham Currie:

Monash University’s chair of public transport, Graham Currie, said sharing road space with traffic was the biggest impact on speeds. He said trams and vehicles should be separated with bollards where possible, as has been done in the CBD over the past decade. In congested areas like Brunswick Street, that could mean removing on-street parking to free up road space.

Virtually all the congested streets named are "Clearways" in peak hours so it's not a parking issue, but lack of lane separation is an issue.

Mal Rowe nitpicking

[Mick Duncan]

Gday  All

How sad,in the 70s,the Melb tabled average speed was 12 MPH,19 KPH
till about 8PM then it was 15 MPH,24KPH

A lot less traffic and traffic lights then

Cheers,    Mick

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[TP]

The population is now twice what it was in 1970 Mick! Those were the days. 

Tony P

(who remembers the countdown clocks at traffic lights)