Accessibility update - Q2 2014

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Passenger Information Trials

Yarra Trams is always looking for new and improved ways to communicate with customers, particularly during delays.  Three passenger information trials that are currently underway aim to help us to communicate with customers quickly and more efficiently.

tramTRACKER screens at major train stations

tramTRACKER screens are being trialled at South Yarra and Flinders Street stations.  The screens use the same technology that you find on Passenger Information Displays (PIDs) at some accessible tram stops, and show the next tram arrival times for the connecting tram stop outside the station in real-time.

 

Remote public announcements systems (PAs) at tram stops

Public address (PA) systems are currently used at some high patronage tram stops such as Federation Square and Domain Interchange. Customer service employees at these stops use hand-held wireless microphones to broadcast announcements about tram arrivals and safety and to control passenger movements.

Yarra Trams are trialling a remote public address system at stops along Collins Street. This will allow us tobroadcast disruption and safety voice messages directly to affected stops from our operations centre. , enabling us to communicate with more passengers during disruptions, and to provide more information than what is displayed on the PID.

miniPIDS

miniPIDS are a smaller version of the Passenger Information Displays (PIDs) that are found at some accessible stops on the tram network. They are fitted in a regular timetable case or totem and provide real-time tram arrival information.  Icons are displayed to show if the tram is low-floor and if there are disruptions or planned service changes. There is also an audio button available.   These are being trialled at some stops in Bridge Road and at the tram stop outside South Yarra Station.

Should these trials be successful, a proposal will be submitted to Public Transport Victoria to extend the passenger information initiatives to other locations.

Tram stop upgrade projects

Public Transport Victoria has allocated funds to several tram stop upgrade projects to be carried out this year.

Retrofitting of stops

Some accessible stops on the Yarra Trams network were built to old specifications and are too low to allow easy access to today's low-floor trams.  PTV has allocated funds to raise the stops by approximately 30 millimetres to facilitate boarding by all passengers, including those using a mobility aid. 12 stops are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014, including high profile stops along Flinders Street, Collins Street, Bourke Street and Swanston Street.

Premium Line - Route 96

Later this year construction will begin on Port Junction (corner of Clarendon Street and Normanby Road), the first stop to be upgraded as part of the Premium Line program.  Designs for the southern end of the route (St Kilda and Melbourne) are complete, with consultation ongoing for the northern end of the route.

Other works - major corridors

Work to increase the number of accessible stops will begin later this year on the Collins Street and Swanston Street corridors.  A new level access stop will be built on Collins Street at William Street, making tram stops along Collins Street accessible from Stop D18 Victoria Harbour Docklands through to Stop 10 Parliament Station. 

The Swanston Street/St Kilda Road corridor will be upgraded later this year and includes new level access stops at Grant Street and Dorcas Street, making all stops on St Kilda Road and Swanston Street accessible between Stop 1 Melbourne University and Stop 20 Domain Interchange.

Upgrades to the Flinders Street corridor will begin next year.

Customer Service Standards

• Customer Service Standards for customer service employees - All Customer Service Employees (CSEs) and Authorised Officers (AOs) have completed the training.
• Customer Service Standards for AOs are currently being developed.
• Training will begin in Q3 2014.

Better information during disruptions

• Diversion books completed for Brunswick, Camberwell and Essendon Depots and are currently being trialled by our passenger information team.Copies will  be given to call centre
• Updated iPhone app to be released in June
  • New app includes enhanced disruption information, information on the next three trams to arrive and new ways to manage and sort your favourite stops
  • This was tested internally and externally, including by a passenger with a visual impairment to ensure the features of the app work with the iPhone Voiceover software

Consultation and community engagement

• Meet the Managers - last session held Friday 7 March at Elizabeth and La Trobe streets
  • Mainly positive feedback received
  • There was some negative feedback in regards to overcrowding on Elizabeth Street routes
  • Reviewing current format, may change to a depot level which would mean more interactive session each year (one per depot, per quarter, totalling 32 sessions a year)

Improved visibility at stops

• Two ongoing lighting trial projects for shelters
  • One trial involves replacing and fixing the light housing and rewiring courtesy lights, as well as upgrading from halogen lights to LEDS.
  • The other trial is of a solar powered shelter.  So far the results are promising with the trial to be extended to another stop this month to see if trees interfere with sun exposure.