Melbourne tram route 48

Melbourne tram route 48 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Balwyn North to Victoria Harbour. The 13.5-kilometre (8.4 mi) route is operated out of Kew depot with A and C class trams.

History

The origins of route 48 lie in separate lines. The section between Flinders Street (near Stop 9) and

Between May and November 2005, the route temporarily terminated at Market Street due to the closure and removal of the Flinders Street Overpass over King Street.^[11][12] The truncated section between La Trobe Street and Waterfront City was temporarily replaced by routes 30 and 86.

On 20 September 2009, route 48 was altered to run via Collins Street in lieu of Flinders Street, terminating at Victoria Harbour (Merchant Street).^{[13][14][15][16][17]} The route along Flinders Street and Harbour Esplanade to Waterfront City was replaced by an extended route 70. On 26 January 2014, the route was extended westwards by one more stop to terminate at the intersection of Collins Street and Bourke Street, which became the new Victoria Harbour terminus.^[18]

Operation

Route 48 is operated out of Kew depot with A and C class trams.^[19][20][21]

Proposed extension

The

Proponents have argued that it could serve as a cheaper, quicker and more efficient alternative to the long-proposed Doncaster railway line. However, supporters of the railway state that the tram already takes 50 minutes from one terminus to the other in the off-peak, and that the tram would take well over an hour to reach the city from Doncaster. It is therefore considered as a separate project to the heavy railway, that would serve a local access purpose.

In the lead up to the 2006 state election, the Ted Baillieu opposition promised the extension by July 2010, pricing it at $35 million.^[25][26] It was stated that there would have been about two accessible stops every kilometre, similar to the recent Box Hill tram extension. However the government was returned and the Baileu government did not commit to it in the 2010 election.

The City of Manningham commissioned a $60,000 study in 2007^[27] to investigate the potential for the new line, arguing it was a needed alternative to overcrowded buses.

Route map

v t e Route 48
Balwyn North - Victoria Harbour via Kew, Richmond & City Free tram zone covers stops D18 to 8, fare zone 1 applies from stop 9 to 51
Legend
Suburb Street Stop No. Balwyn North Connections Balwyn North Doncaster Road 51 Balwyn Road 50 Hill Road 49 Cityview Road 48 Sunburst Avenue 47 North Balwyn Shopping Centre 46 Wattle Avenue 45 Burke Road   High Street 44 Kilby Road Kew East High Street 43 Kew High School 42 Irymple Avenue 41 Clyde Street 40 Harp Village 39 Harp Road 302, 304, 624 38 Victoria Park Kew High Street 37 Kew Cemetery 36 Parkhill Road 35 Cobden Street 34 Pakington Street 609 Cotham Road Tram 109 Box Hill   33 Cotham Road 109 32 Kew Junction 200, 207 31 Stevenson Street Kew tram depot Hawthorn High Street 29 Barkers Road 109 Barkers Road Tram 109     Port Melbourne   Church Street 26 Barkers Road 109 25 Brook Street 24 Grattan Street Burwood Road Tram 75 Vermont South     Bridge Road 23 Hawthorn Bridge 75 Richmond Bridge Road 22 Yarra Boulevard 21 Burnley Street 20 Coppin Street 19 Richmond Town Hall 18 Church Street 78 Church Street Tram 78 Balaclava   North Richmond 17 Bosisto Street 15 Epworth Hospital   Wellington Parade 14 Punt Road 246 Wellington Parade Siding East Melbourne Wellington Parade 13 Simpson Street 11 Jolimont station ● 10 Jolimont Road 9 Lansdowne Street 75 Flinders Street Tram 75, City Circle Waterfront City   Macarthur Street Tram 11, 12, 109     St Vincent's Plaza Spring Street City Circle tram     La Trobe Street ● Melbourne CBD Collins Street 8 Spring Street 11, 12, 109, City Circle 7 101 Collins Street 605 Swanston Street Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 St Kilda Road   Melbourne University 6 Town Hall 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 Elizabeth Street Tram 19, 57, 59 Flinders Street station   North Melbourne 5 Elizabeth Street 19, 57, 59 3 William Street 58; Queen Street buses Williams Street Tram 58 Toorak   West Coburg 1 Southern Cross station 12, 96, 109 Spencer Street Tram 12, 96, 109 Clarendon Street Junction   Bourke Street ●
Docklands Collins Street		D14			Southern Cross station	232, 235, 237
		D15			Batman's Hill
		D16			Harbour Esplanade	70, 75, City Circle
					Harbour Esplanade Tram 70, 75, City Circle	Russell Street   Docklands
		D17			Collins Landing
		D18			Victoria Harbour	11
Suburb Street		Stop No.			Victoria Harbour	Connections

References