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Route 96
E class trams on Bourke Street, December 2013
Overview
System	Melbourne
Operator	Yarra Trams
Depot	Southbank Preston
Vehicle	C2 class E class
Night-time	Friday & Saturday
Route
Start	East Brunswick
Via	Fitzroy North Carlton North Carlton Fitzroy Bourke Street Southbank South Melbourne Albert Park Middle Park
End	St Kilda Beach
Length	13.9 kilometres
Timetable	Route 96 timetable
Map	Route 96 map
Route map {{{map}}} ← Route 86  {{{system_nav}}}  Route 109 →

Melbourne tram route 96 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from East Brunswick to St Kilda Beach. The 13.9 kilometre route is operated out of Southbank and Preston depots with C2 and E class trams.

History

Part of the route opened as a cable tram line operated by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company on 30 August 1887, operating along Bourke and Nicholson Streets. It operated until 26 October 1940, when the Bourke Street cable lines were abandoned by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) in favour of double decker buses. The Bourke Street cable lines were the last cable trams to operate in Melbourne.

The MMTB, unhappy with the performance of the buses, decided to reinstate trams when the buses reached life expiry, and rebuilt the tram tracks of the cable car routes. Trams on the route to East Preston (predecessor to the modern 86) started on 26 June 1955, while trams to Brunswick East began operating on 8 April 1956 as route 96.

The W7 class trams were built for running on these two lines. The new Z class trams first ran on route 96 in June 1975.

In the 1980s, it was decided to close the short St Kilda and Port Melbourne railway lines and convert them to 'light rail'. The tracks along Bourke Street were taken round into Spencer Street, south along Clarendon Street to then turn into the rail reservation to St Kilda along the former St Kilda railway line. At the former terminus at St Kilda Station, the line ran past the station building, and turned into Fitzroy Street, joining existing lines round The Esplanade to terminate in Acland Street. The first trams ran on 20 November 1987. The broad gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) railway track was replaced with standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in), and the overhead voltage was reduced from 1500 V DC to 600 V DC. Low platforms were built adjacent to the former stations' platforms, with the station buildings put to other uses.

With the closure of North Fitzroy depot on 19 December 1993, its route 96 duties were transferred to South Melbourne depot.

After the merger of the M>Tram network with Yarra Trams in 2004, most D2 class trams were transferred from Malvern depot to Southbank depot to help alleviate the congestion on the route. After the introduction of these low floor Siemens Combino trams on the route, accessible stops were built on Bourke Street, Fitzroy Street and St Kilda Esplanade, increasing customer safety and comfort.

In response to frequent overcrowding on the tram system in 2008, the state government leased new C2 class trams from Mulhouse, France specifically to run the route. The first of these new trams began operation on 11 June 2008 with the nickname Bumble Bee 1. In November 2013, the first E class trams entered service on the route. In January 2016, Route 96 began operating through the night on Fridays and Saturdays as part of the Night Network.

In July 2023, PTV began trialling a new NaviLens information system for those with vision impairments on Route 96.

Route 96 Project

On 17 April 2012, it was announced that Route 96 would become the focus of tram upgrades to transform it from a tramway to a light rail system; a "model" for how Melbourne's tram network should operate. The Route 96 Project superseded a similar project of the previous government, Tram 109.

The proposed aims of the project are:

• Providing level access stops along the entire route
• Upgraded termini at Blyth Street, East Brunswick, and Acland Street, St Kilda
• Segregation treatments to better separate low-floor trams from traffic
• Improved priority for low-floor trams at traffic lights
• Improved customer information

The objectives are to:

• Increase access to trams and safety for customers through providing improved infrastructure and information
• Improve tram reliability and efficiency through increased priority and accessible infrastructure
• Ensure better utilisation of the road network with a focus on moving people
• Design a full route of enhancements to demonstrate the benefits of a modern light rail system in Melbourne conditions, compared with a traditional tram network.

In mid-2013, the proposed changes were released to the public. They involved an eventual segregation of trams from traffic along nearly the entire route, and the upgrade of all stops to level access to improve passenger flow and make the network disability-compliant. On Nicholson Street, all on-street parking would eventually be removed to create dedicated tram lanes where it is illegal for cars to drive. Easy-access stops (level access by raising the road to footpath level) would be constructed between Blyth Street and Brunswick Road, while centre island superstops would be constructed between Brunswick Road and the CBD.

The Batman Park (previously the World Trade Centre) and Clarendon Street Junction stops in South Melbourne would be redesigned with a separate bay for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, while in St Kilda, some parts of Acland Street would be closed to cars in favour of widened footpaths, pedestrian plazas and tram right of way.

The project has received strong support from commuters, urban planners and public transport advocates, while there have been concerns from shop owners along the route that a loss of on-street parking will negatively affect business.

Work completed as at October 2018 has included:

• new Blyth Street terminus headshunt at the northern end in July 2015
• new Clarendon Street Junction stop in January 2016
• new Acland Street terminus in December 2016
• stop upgrades at Johnston Street, Moor street and Melbourne Museum in September 2018 along with stop removal at Hoddle St and Hanover street

Route

Route 96 runs from the terminus at Blyth Street, East Brunswick, travelling south on Nicholson Street through the suburbs of Carlton North, Fitzroy North, Carlton and Fitzroy, passing the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum. It enters the CBD on Spring Street turning right into Bourke Street at Parliament House, travels through the Bourke Street Mall and turns left into Spencer Street, passing Southern Cross station. It crosses the Yarra River and enters Southbank on Clarendon Street before passing through the suburbs of South Melbourne, Albert Park, Middle Park and St Kilda on a right-of-way track. The tram line exits the private right-of-way and travels along Fitzroy Street and The Esplanade to Acland Street, St Kilda where it terminates.

Operation

Route 96 is operated out of Southbank and Preston depots with C2 and E class trams. Occasionally, A class trams are also used.

Special events and services

Several annual events affect the usual services along route 96:

• Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix - most services terminate at Middle Park and are replaced with buses
• RMIT University exams - (held at Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre) additional services
• St Kilda Festival - additional services but terminate at St Kilda station

In popular culture

Route 96 is featured in the Courtney Barnett song Elevator Operator.

Route map

v t e Route 96
Brunswick East - St Kilda Beach via Fitzroy, City, Southbank & Albert Park Free Tram Zone covers stops 124 to 11, fare zone 1 from stop 140 to 124A, 27 to 12
Suburb Street Stop No. Brunswick East Connections Brunswick East Nicholson Street 23 Blyth Street 503, 508 22 Albert Street Fitzroy North Nicholson Street 21 Glenlyon Road 506 20 Miller Street 506 Former Brunswick Road/Holden Street Line 19 Brunswick Road 250, 251 North Fitzroy tram depot (closed)   18 Scotchmer Street 17 Reid Street 16 Freeman Street 15 Alexandra Parade 546 14 Rose Street Fitzroy Nicholson Street 13 Johnston Street 200, 202, 207 12 Moor Street Gertrude Street Tram 86 Bundoora RMIT   11 Melbourne Museum 86 Zone 1 Free Tram Zone Victoria Parade Tram 30 St Vincent's Plaza   La Trobe Street Melbourne CBD Nicholson Street 10 Parliament station Parliament station City Loop suburban lines Spring Street Tram City Circle Flinders Street  La Trobe Street   Bourke Street 9 Spring Street City Circle 7 Russell Street 605 Swanston Street Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 St Kilda Road   Melbourne University 6 Swanston Street 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 5 Bourke Street Mall 19, 57, 59 Elizabeth Street Tram 19, 57, 59 Flinders Street station   North Melbourne 4 Queen Street Queen Street 3 William Street 58 William Street Tram 58 Toorak   West Coburg 1 Southern Cross station 96 Spencer Street Tram 86 Waterfront City   Southern Cross station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●   Spencer Street 122 Southern Cross station Collins Street Tram 11, 12, 48, 109 St Vincent's Plaza   Southern Cross station Flinders Street Tram 70, 75, City Circle Russell Street   Docklands Flinders Street Viaduct 124 Batman Park Free Tram Zone Zone 1 Southbank Clarendon Street 124A Casino/MCEC 12 Clarendon Street Tram 12    St Kilda (Fitzroy Street)   Normanby Street 125 Clarendon Street Junction 109 Port Melbourne Light Rail Tram 109     Port Melbourne   Ferrars Street 126 City Road 234, 236 127 South Melbourne station Park Street Tram 1 (no connecting stop) South Melbourne Ferrars Street 128 Albert Park station Albert Road Tram 12 (no connecting stop)   Canterbury Road 129 Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre 130 Middle Park station Middle Park Canterbury Road 131 Fraser Street 132 St Kilda station 600, 922, 923 Fitzroy Street Tram 16    Melbourne University   Fitzroy Street 133 Canterbury Road 3, 16 St Kilda Fitzroy Street 134 Park Street 12, 606 Park Street Tram 12     Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre 135 Jacka Boulevard 606   The Esplanade 136 The Esplanade 138 Luna Park 16; 606, 623 Carlisle Street Tram 3a, 16    Balaclava Junction   Acland Street Acland Street 246, 600, 606 922, 923 Suburb Street Stop No. St Kilda Beach Connections
Note: Green denotes free tram zone

References

1. Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company Limited Running Journal volume 9 no 3 page 16
2. Our golden years Yarra Trams
3. Route 96 East Brunswick - Blyth Street Electric Traction October 1968 pages 8-11
4. East Burwood Extension Opening Electric Traction August 1978 page 127
5. New Cars for North Fitzroy Trolley Wire issue 159 August 1975 page 40
6. Towards the modern era Yarra Trams
7. The Met Fleetline issue 221 December 1993 page 264
8. National Bus Company Australian Bus Panorama issue 9/5 January 1994 page 31
9. News in brief Railway Digest September 2004 page 15
10. A new century Yarra Trams
11. D2 Class Vicsig
12. New low floor trams boost capacity on Route 96 Yarra Trams 26 July 2004
13. Melbourne welcomes Mulhouse tram Railway Gazette International March 2008 page 127
14. Five more trams to be added to the metropolitan system Yarra Trams 7 February 2008
15. First of five French Trams now on Melbourne tracks Yarra Trams 11 June 2008
16. Stand by your tram - Melbourne welcomes the E-class Yarra Trams 4 November 2013
17. Night Tram Public Transport Victoria
18. "We're trialling NaviLens on the Route 96 - Yarra Trams". yarratrams.com.au. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
19. ^ Route 96 - Tram network upgrade - June 2015 Yarra Trams
20. Route 96: Acland Street, St Kilda Public Transport Victoria
21. Help Council Have Their Say on Tram Changes City of Port Phillip 25 July 2013
22. Route 96 Improvements: Nicholson Street Public Transport Victoria
23. Route 96: Stop 125 Port Junction Public Transport Victoria
24. Port Junction: Platform stop construction Yarra Trams
25. Acland Street upgrade Yarra Trams
26. Acland Street upgrades City of Port Phillip
27. Southbank Depot Vicsig
28. Getting Here Australian Grand Prix

Further reading

• Richards, Tim (13 October 2022). "Number 96 tram in Melbourne: This one route gives you the best of the city". Traveller. Retrieved 14 October 2022.

External links

Media related to Melbourne tram route 96 at Wikimedia Commons

• Tram routes in Melbourne
• Public transport routes in the City of Melbourne (LGA)
• 1955 establishments in Australia
• Transport in the City of Merri-bek
• Transport in the City of Port Phillip
• Transport in the City of Yarra
• Bourke Street