Article: Commuters starting to cram Melbourne trams

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Commuters starting to cram Melbourne trams

Commuters starting to cram Melbourne trams
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

August 20, 2009 12:00am

MELBOURNE'S trams are like our trains - patronage is soaring and they're becoming overcrowded.

Fare evasion on trams has also soared in a reversal of a recent trend that has seen ticketless travel decrease.

Tram passenger numbers went up 12 per cent in 2008-09, while growth in train use is slowing, up only 6 per cent.

During that period, 178 million trips were made on trams and 214 million on trains.

Bus patronage has also increased, up 9 per cent to 100 million trips in 2008-09.

Metlink survey figures show that 13 per cent of passengers on trams don't have a ticket, up from 9.6 per cent the previous year.

Fare cheating on trains went up from 6.3 per cent to 7.6 per cent of passengers.

Metlink chief executive Bernie Carolan said some passengers were more likely to take a risk on a tram and travel without a ticket.

Crowded trams also make it more difficult to validate tickets.

During the morning peak, commuters struggle to board trams on route 112 along Brunswick St and the 96 along Nicholson St.

Trams along St Kilda Rd and Collins St are frequently packed.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said tram overcrowding was increasing, even during the evenings and on weekends.

"We've had reports of some passengers being unable to board the first tram and having to wait for another, sometimes up to 15 or 20 minutes," Mr Bowen said.

"There are new trams on order, but these won't all be running until 2016."

Despite the slowing of growth in train patronage, there was still a lot of demand, he said.

"Crowding is no longer confined to peak hour," Mr Bowen said.

"The Government should commit to running services more frequently right across the day, seven days a week."