The other day I was riding a route 30 tram along La Trobe Street, when I looked up at the onboard route map. Unlike the rest of the tram network, route 30 is so short that every single stop can be included on the diagram.
The stop list was:
- St Vincents Plaza
- Nicholson Street
- La Trobe Street / Victoria Street
- Exhibition Street
- Russell Street
- Melbourne Central Station / Swanston Street
- Melbourne Central Station / Elizabeth Street
- Queen Street
- Flagstaff Station
- King Street
- Spencer Street
- Etihad Stadium Docklands
- Central Pier
But when I looked at the map further, I realised something – the map actually includes extra tram stops than don’t exist in the real world!
Stop 7 for westbound trams at Russell Street was one of them.
And stop 2 for westbound trams at King Street was the other.
Both tram stops were closed on March 24, 2014 for ‘safety reasons’ – this notice was posted inside one of the tram stop shelters.
Apparently the safety issue was long trams overhanging the safety zone, resulting in passengers from the rear doors stepping out into moving traffic.
Some of the tram stops along La Trobe Street were able to be lengthened, like this one at Exhibition Street.
However in the case of the King and Russell Street stops, nearby laneways prevented the tram stops from being extended, so removing them from service was the cheapest option.
Footnote
Closure of the tram stops along La Trobe Street only affects a handful of people – the current service frequency along the north end of the CBD is so useless, any intending passenger could walk to their destination before the next tram turns up!
It is techincally correct though as those stops involved have a specific direction stated.
You have a sharper eye than me – I missed the “to St Vincent’s Plaza only” note under the King and Russell Street stops!