MORE Melbourne Tram Extensions!

Name: MORE Melbourne Tram Extensions!
Uploaded: 2025-11-27T23:20:54+00:00
Duration: 34 min 54 s
Channel: MasinaT

MasinaT

1 week ago

Hi everyone, after that Crazy Frog fan music video I made before, I have made yet another tram video.

Melbourne's tram system has been around for many years but it only covers little bits of the metropolitan area. Nothing much has happened but there have been many proposals to extend the tram system. I previously made a video about official tram extensions in Melbourne and looking at the comments, I decided to make another tram extension video.

This is the first time I made a video with Davinci Resolve and I am not sure if you have noticed anything different about the editing.

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VIDEO LINKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHkKJfcBXcw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT_XBdjPHeM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzQ7lT1gQIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TUQ1qPnWVQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77zMZ7_VkaY

Music by Youtube Audio Library

REFERENCES
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/provenance-journal/provenance-2015/john-jones
https://www.ptua.org.au/transport-in-vic/problem/
https://www.ptua.org.au/myths/priority/
https://thewestsider.com.au/western-suburbs-in-desperate-need-of-of-bi-partisan-planning-to-combat-effects-of-urban-heat-island/#:~:text=Those%20living%20in%20Melbourne's%20west,than%20other%20areas%20of%20Melbourne.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/treeless-pain-leaves-city-s-western-suburbs-hot-dry-and-dusty-20210427-p57mof.html
https://www.werribeenews.com.au/crime-trends-in-melbournes-western-suburbs-insights-from-2023-statistics/
https://www.railfutures.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/15329_MRP2050main_FinalPages.pdf
https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/move-on-slip-lanes-are-dangerous-for-cyclists-and-pedestrians-8471915#google_vignette
https://content.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/womeda-sunshine-economic-development-jobs-strategy.pdf
https://www.vic.gov.au/maidstone-tram-maintenance-and-stabling-facility
https://greens.org.au/sites/greens.org.au/files/Vic_Greens_Connecting_Melbourne%27s_Trams_backgrounder.pdf
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/councils-justified-in-legal-challenge-to-north-east-link-20200211-p53zsv.html
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/north-east-link-to-shift-25000-rail-passengers-a-day-to-cars-says-andrews-government-report-20161216-gtchfm.html

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00:00Melbourne's tram system is the largest in the world. With about 250km of track, it serves many urban areas and a few outer suburban areas.

00:09However, despite being the biggest, it doesn't cover all of Melbourne.

00:13Many outer suburbs and other urban areas do not have a tram line, leaving commuters using trains or bus services which are not as regular and frequent.

00:21For many years, there have been discussions on extending Melbourne's tram network that date back to the 1920s.

00:28In 1923, the Melbourne Metropolitan Tramways Board made a map on proposed tram extensions. However, only one to seven of the extensions have been built.

00:38A couple of years ago, I made a video about many tram extensions in Melbourne that could be built.

00:43Looking at the comments from the video, I noticed many people talking about other tram extensions and I appreciate the feedback you guys have given me.

00:50So today, I'm going to cover even more Melbourne tram extensions, show you where they will extend to, what is going to be built,

00:57the challenges of building tram lines and the reason for extending the tram line.

01:01Most extensions will be in some official and old documentation, including the 1923 map.

01:07But I will also make up some tram lines as I feel that many other areas in Melbourne deserve trams too.

01:14So anyways, let's begin.

01:16Our first extension is the Elstonwick to East Brighton extension.

01:22In my previous video, I talked about how the Route 64 line should be extended from East Brighton to Moorabbin Station.

01:28Well, according to the 1923 map, there was an extension proposed for the Route 67 tram to continue along the Nippian Highway.

01:35The line continues on the median strip, goes under the Satrium line and connects up with the Route 64 tram at East Brighton.

01:41It would serve many large shops, serve Hellingham Park and its leisure facilities, potentially provide connections at Gardervale Station and could provide an alternative transport in case a disruption happens.

01:52An obvious challenge are the roads.

01:54There's a median strip, but there are some sections where the median strip is thin and there is just road.

01:59It wouldn't hurt to remove a car lane in the middle and build tram tracks in its place.

02:06The second is a tram line that goes from North Brighton to Oakley.

02:09According to the 1923 map, it would start at the end of Bay Street, cross over the Sandringham Line, make a left turn onto Bilroy Street,

02:16then make a right turn and continue along North Road, passing the Frankston Line and terminating at Warragal Road.

02:21It would serve many shops alongside the line, including the North Brighton shops, serve multiple parks, provide connections to North Brighton and Ormond stations and provide an easy commute to the coast.

02:34With challenges, obviously building on roads is one of them, but at North Brighton the tram line passes over a level crossing, which might serve as a bottleneck.

02:41Since the Victorian government announced a level crossing removal project, level crossings are pretty much banned from being constructed, insisting on elaborate grade separation.

02:50This means there will need to be an elevator railway built and a new train station at North Brighton, therefore separating the tram from crossing the train line.

02:58Also, at Warragal Road, there are some shops and not really much else.

03:02I would personally extend it further along North Road until it reaches Monash University.

03:07It would somewhat serve Monash University and provide a connection with Huntingdale's station.

03:12In my previous video, I talked about a trackless tram route going from Caulfield to Chadston, Monash and Roeville.

03:19It may connect up with that tram at Clayton if such a tram line was actually constructed.

03:27In the 1923 map, there is also another tram extension branching off from the Nypian Highway.

03:32Going along Hampton Street, it heads straight to Sandringham Beach.

03:35It would serve many shops and towns, provide connections with Hampton Station and provide an alternative transport in case the Sandringham train is cancelled.

03:43One challenge is obviously crossing over the level crossing at Hampton Station.

03:46So, grade separation in the form of a railway bridge and new Hampton Station would need to be built again.

03:52Before I show you the next extension, I would like to show you two maps to give you some context.

03:58Here is a hand drawn map of Melbourne's tram network, which resembles the Yarra Trams map from the 2000s,

04:03but it also contains some extensions, like an extension to Sandringham, Doncaster and Reservoir Station.

04:09It is not mine, I found it many years ago in 2017 on the Yarra Trams Twitter account and saved it.

04:14I just thought I might show you.

04:16Here is another map showing Melbourne's tram system fully expanded.

04:20It's not an official map, but it was created by Adam Matteson Maps, a local mapmaker who creates stylised maps of Melbourne.

04:26Looking closely, there are tramlines that bear some resemblance to the 1923 map.

04:31In the drawing, there is an extension of the Route 64 tram to Southland's shopping centre.

04:36The tram line would continue further along Nypian Highway until it reaches the destination.

04:41It would serve multiple parks and would serve as an alternative transport option in case there is a disruption with trains.

04:47It could also cater for many short distance commuters as they can simply walk to their nearby tram stop without walking all the way to the nearest train station.

04:57One major challenge is the location of the Termini.

05:00On the road, there is a massive overpass which is part of the shopping centre.

05:04Underneath to the side, there is also a separate road for buses.

05:07Here, it wouldn't be much of a problem for the trams to fit underneath, but where would the tram stop go?

05:13Well, building the tram stop underneath would be preferable as it can provide shade.

05:18The tram stop could be built in the middle of the road and it wouldn't really hurt to reconstruct the area and build a two-track tram stop in its place.

05:25And since it is underneath the entrance, it would be a direct path to the shopping centre without any hassles.

05:32Now, there is a train station at Southland, but once you exit the station, you have to trudge through a car park jungle to get to the entrance.

05:40On the 1923 map, there is another proposed line that branches off Nypian Highway southward.

05:46It's not quite clear where it terminates, but I would suggest that the line ends at Black Rock, as indicated on the Adam Batterson map.

05:53The line travels down Coomins Road and Bluff Road, passing several schools, parks, towns and a hospital.

05:59It would surf the town of Black Rock and would help people get to school while also improving connections to several bus routes.

06:06One challenge is building the line along the road, as well as constructing tram stops.

06:11Melbourne's tram work has been criticised for breaching disability discrimination laws, as many of its basic tram stops are inaccessible to people using wheelchairs.

06:19One way to address this issue is building raised, road accessible platforms, similar to those used on Route 96.

06:28On a 1923 map, another proposed line goes along South Road, from Brighton Beach to Moorabbin Station.

06:34Apart from serving some shops and serving connections with two train lines, the line also passes two schools,

06:40which could make commuting to school much easier in the short term.

06:43When it comes to building tram tracks, there is a median strip along the road, and some sections of it are quite wide.

06:49During my teens, I came across another map, showing proposed tram extensions in the south.

06:54At the bottom, the line along South Road extends further to Warragal Road, terminating at a large intersection surrounded by houses,

07:01a park, a power station and several automobile shops, although the major shops are quite a walk away.

07:07Personally, I would extend the tram line further until it reaches Dingley Village.

07:12It would follow the Dingley Bypass, turn right into Boundary Road, and turn left onto Centre Dandenong Road, continuing until it reaches Keysborough.

07:20This tram line would serve four major shopping areas, provide easy access to a hospital and a university,

07:26and would make commuting much easier for the people of Dingley.

07:29There aren't many challenges for this line, although some sections of track would need to be laid on the median strip and others on the road.

07:36In my previous video, I mentioned that median strips have trees, and I proposed building the tramway around them and planting new trees.

07:42However, someone pointed out that this could be harmful to both the trees and the tracks, as the tree roots could be trapped and might grow out of the ground to absorb water, potentially damaging the track.

07:51So for some tram extensions, including this one, some trees could be removed or relocated to another place.

08:00On the 1923 map, there is yet another line going from Nipian Highway to Bentley East.

08:05This would serve many long strips of shops and provide connections to Bentley Station.

08:09I would extend it further until it reaches Oakley South at Huntingdale Road, as it would serve more people, especially those going to and from Moorabbin Hospital.

08:19In my previous video, I talked about tram extensions to Ashburton, Darling Station and East Moorabbin.

08:25On one of the maps I came across, there was another proposed line branching from Gardiner, running along Moorabbin Road, turning right onto Moorabbin Road and terminating at Moorabbin.

08:34This might seem a bit overkill, but it would serve several schools connected with Moorabbin Station and potentially connected with Route 653 trams if those tram lines were extended.

08:46Regarding the tram extension from Glen Iris to Ashburton, on the Yarra Trams map drawing, it continues beyond Ashburton to Glen Waverley.

08:54This extension would go along High Street Road, passing Ashwood and Mount Waverley.

08:58It would serve many nearby schools and could act as a substitute for the Glen Waverley train line during disruptions.

09:04One challenge is the location of the terminus. At the Springfield Road intersection, the terminus would be here, but there isn't a proper entrance to the shopping centre.

09:13It's just a car park and a car park and a Moor car park.

09:18I'll propose turning right and building the tram termini on Sneddon Drive, where there is a much more appealing entrance.

09:25This will make it more convenient and less frustrating for passengers.

09:28By the way, here's a fun fact, Minneapolis' light rail system has a line to the Mall of America and their station is built within a car park.

09:36Not sure if something like that could happen for Melbourne's tram system.

09:39On the 923 map, there was a plan to build a line branching off from the Route 75 line.

09:46It would continue along Burwood Road, turn right onto Camberwell Road and rejoin the existing tram line at Riversdale Road.

09:52This line might serve some shops and a nearby university, but one major benefit is operational flexibility.

09:58If there is a disruption, trams could be rerouted along the new line.

10:02As for Route 70 to Wattle Park, on the Yarra Trams drawing, the line continues from Wattle Park to Forest Hill.

10:08The line would turn left onto Elgar Road, then turn right onto Canterbury Road.

10:13Continue along until it reaches Forest Hill, terminating at Springvale Road.

10:17It would serve surrounding parks and provide a direct trip to Forest Hill's shopping centre without the need to take a complicated bus route.

10:24There aren't many challenges, but one major challenge is building the track from the current Wattle Park terminus.

10:30The small road besides the terminus could be removed to make room for a second track and platform.

10:35The intersection would also need to be reconfigured to allow the tram tracks to pass through.

10:40On the same drawing, the Route 109 tram is extended to Ringwood.

10:44This means it would continue along Whitehorse Road, passing several shops and terminate outside Eastland Shopping Centre.

10:50It could accommodate medium to short distance journeys, whilst the adjacent railway is more suited to longer journeys.

10:56Also, given that the Belgrave and Lillydale lines are major transit arteries in the eastern suburbs, this tram extension could serve as a direct alternative during disruptions.

11:05On the 1923 map, there's a tram line that continues along Barcus Road until it reaches Bourke Road.

11:12It would serve few businesses, connect with the Route 16 and 27 trams and provide easy access to this large educational complex that includes many different schools.

11:21At Kew, there's also a small branch line that travels along Princess Street, turns right onto Wilsmere Road and terminates at Kew North.

11:30In my previous video, I talked about the Route 16 tram terminating at Kew Junction with its own Termini.

11:35This Kew North line could be incorporated into the Route 16 tram.

11:40Moving on to the northern suburbs, many individual tram lines were proposed in the 1923 map.

11:46For example, one line goes from Clifton Hill along Heidelberg Road, turns left onto Station Street and terminates at Mansfield Street.

11:54Whilst it would serve the Fairfield Town area and train station, it also subtly revives the old Fairfield Horse tramway, a private tram built in 1884.

12:03A major challenge here is the level crossing.

12:06The train station would need to be rebuilt and the railway will have to go underground as the level crossing at Grange Road was removed by building a railway trench.

12:15Another line branches off along Darabin Road, continuing until it reaches Ivanhoe Station.

12:20This line would provide another direct link to Ivanhoe and it would also serve the Naranjeri Stadium.

12:26In my previous video, I discussed a proposal to extend Route 72 to Ivanhoe.

12:30Since these two proposal lines are quite close to each other, I suggest linking them together along Norman Street.

12:36One challenge is the level crossing in that area.

12:39As with Fairfield, the railway would need to go underneath and the train station would need to be rebuilt.

12:43Out of many tram lines I've discussed so far, most of which are just small branch lines, there is one that would truly improve travel across the northern suburbs.

12:52Introducing the Bell Street Tram.

12:55In the upper part of the 1923 map, there is a long horizontal line going across, representing a proposed tram line along Bell Street.

13:04It starts at Hilton Street in Pascovale North, runs along West Street, Boundary Road and Cumberland Road, before finally turning left to begin its journey along Bell Street.

13:12It passes through Coburg, Preston, Bell Field and terminates at Heidelberg.

13:17This tram line would serve multiple businesses and can reduce pressure on the long distance commuters who aren't travelling into the city.

13:23It connects with Coburg Station, the Route 19 tram, the Route 11 tram, Bell Station, Route 86 and Heidelberg Station.

13:30Aside from the challenge of the steep gradients near the Coburg Pye Ridge Cemetery and a few sections without median strips, there aren't many major challenges.

13:38Since the level crossings at Coburg, Bell and Heidelberg have already been removed, construction would be quite easy.

13:43However, on the Adam Matteson map, this tram line continues further along Manningham Road, bypassing Bulleen, Doncaster and terminating outside Box Hill Shopping Centre at Station Street.

13:54A tram line at this scale would serve numerous shops including Doncaster Shopping Centre as well as several parks and would significantly reduce reliance on complex indirect bus routes.

14:04There is also the proposed Suburban Rail Loop, an orbital metro line around the outer suburbs intended to reduce city congestion and improve suburban travel.

14:13There has been a lot of debate about this project with speculation that it would be built by 2050.

14:18A tram line in Bell Street could be built in the short term and if we are focused on moving people around the suburbs without cars, it is probably wise to implement such transport options as soon as possible.

14:29In the Brunswick area, there is also a proposed extension of the Route 6 tram to Essendon.

14:34It would continue along Moreland Road, passing under the Upfield Line, crossing the Route 58 tram, take an S-turn on Pascovale Road to Brewster Street, turn left onto Napier Street and terminate at the roundabout.

14:44Aside from serving local shops, it would help connect with the other two tram lines. Construction would be relatively easy, especially since Moreland level crossing has already been removed.

14:54Speaking of Essendon, there is another proposal on both the 1923 map and the Yarra Trams drawing, for a spur line along Buller Road to DFO near Essendon Fields Airport.

15:03This would make it much easier for people to access the shopping centre.

15:06There is also a proposed spur line to Essendon West. The line would turn left onto Buckley Street and continue until it reaches Essendon West.

15:14It would serve two schools and could also connect with Essendon Station. One challenge is the limited space in the underpass at Essendon Station, which currently has a three lane road.

15:23The tram tracks would need to be built on this road, meaning cars and trams would have to share the space.

15:28In my previous video, I talked about a tram extension from West Murray-Byrnon to Keylor East. I now think it makes sense to connect that line with the proposed Essendon West tram.

15:38Not only could it serve as an alternate route during disruptions, but it would also provide a direct connection between Keylor and Essendon Station.

15:46There are already several buses in the area, but what's the harm in showing you the tram extension?

15:53I talked a lot about the Northern and Southern Suburbs. It's time to move on to our next area.

15:59Introducing the Western Suburbs, which include either Werribee, Wintervale, Tarnate, Trugania or Caroline Springs.

16:05It is a massively outward sprawling low density area and characterised by high temperatures, authentic marketing experiences and is overall flatter than a potato cake.

16:12Most of the time, your only option for getting around is by car, as it's very car dependent.

16:17The adjacent freeway is a major transit artery into the city.

16:20Your only choices of public transit are indirect bus routes that take 20 to 45 minutes to arrive, the Werribee train with long distances between stations,

16:28or the V-Line train from Wintervale or Melton with the Metro trains not serving those lines.

16:33This puts the Western Suburbs at a significant disadvantage.

16:36So, what if we build a tram network there?

16:39That could significantly improve transport in the area. Many people have talked about this idea and mentioned it to me.

16:46I propose a long tram line that would traverse the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, designed to be fast and somewhat grade separated.

16:53Starting at the IAAF base in Port Cook, the line would go along Points Cook Road and into the suburb.

16:59It then splits at Snaders Road, continuing along Snaders Road and Broadrock Boulevard via Dullings Road before rejoining.

17:06I am doing this not to give trams better flexibility in case of disruption, but to also serve these shopping centres and these schools.

17:13The line goes over the Princess Freeway, makes three right turns onto Ashcroft Avenue, Overton Road and Altesh Street to reach out to Williams Landing Station, providing a train connection.

17:22Although a direct route could be shorter, it goes through wetlands which may not support infrastructure as trams may sink into the pond.

17:29The line then turns left to follow alongside Parliament's Road, before splitting again.

17:33One branch follows Sayers Road and turns right onto Morris Road, while the other line continues on Parliament's Road and turns left onto Leakes Road.

17:40Both lines pass by Shops, Schools and the Winter Vale Shopping Centre, before rejoining and branch off the road towards Tarnate Station, connecting with the V-Line train.

17:49The line branches back and continues on Leakes Road again and splits once more.

17:54One line goes down Tarnate Road, while the other continues on Leakes Road, turns left onto Davis Road, continues and then turns left onto Hogan's Road.

18:02Both rejoin, passing several schools and two shopping centres.

18:06The line then continues down south and turns left onto Hogan's Road, then right onto Derrimut Road, heading towards Werribee Shopping Centre.

18:13It passes underneath the Werribee line and makes a right turn onto Princess Highway.

18:17It goes along the road until it diverts onto Cherry Street and Watton Street, passing through Werribee Town Centre.

18:23It then makes a right turn onto Princess Highway again, passing under the Werribee line again until it continues east along Ballon Road, reaching Manor Lakes Central Shopping Centre.

18:32It turns left onto Hirata Boulevard, heading towards Winter Vale Station, providing another connection with the V-Line train.

18:38Finally, it turns south, making a right turn onto Manor Lakes Boulevard, then right onto Island Road, serving the Manor Lakes suburb.

18:45It turns left back onto Ballon Road, heading northwest and terminated at another suburb, Jubilee Estate Park.

18:51This long tram line would help connectivity between train stations and shopping districts.

18:56The tram line passes by 16 shopping districts, 9 education districts, several parks and the RAAF base.

19:03So for any shopping trip or going to school, the tram might be a viable option.

19:07The RAAF base might be an odd location for a tram terminus, but even soldiers need some form of transport.

19:13There are a few major challenges, as most roads are great separated from rail.

19:17Seeing the wide roads, lawns and several median strips, building tram trucks would be relatively easy.

19:22Trams can either run in either in the middle or alongside roads.

19:26Near the Williams Landing, Tarnate and Winter Vale stations, tram lines can curve towards station entrances and tram stops can be built outside entrances.

19:34This can enable a quick transfer and minimising walking distance and enabling seamless transfer.

19:39The tram will also be the first thing you see as you get off the train.

19:42At one bridge in the Werribee line, there is a wide gap between tracks, possibly the site of a future train station that was never built.

19:48If such train station was built, it would have the advantage of providing a direct connection to the tram below.

19:54While light rail proposals for the western suburbs have existed for years, nothing much has come out of it.

20:00In 2018, the Rail Futures Institute released a master plan for expanding Melbourne's transit system.

20:06This included extending Melbourne's train, tram and bus network, but they introduced something called medium capacity transit,

20:12an umbrella tone to describe rail systems with higher capacity than a bus system but is below heavy passenger rail.

20:18Such technologies include light rail transit, light metros or bus weapon transit like the G-Link in Gold Coast, Paris Metro and Trans Millenio.

20:26Several medium capacity transit line proposals already exist in the western suburbs, but let's focus on trams,

20:32as many extensions can come close to light rail transit and tram can describe a wide range of rail systems that operate in urban streetscapes.

20:39Jagger hasn't made a video explaining the terminology of the word tram.

20:43There are, however, several internal challenges which include speed and distance.

20:49A common criticism of Melbourne's tram system is that they are quite slow,

20:53but that is because they share the road with heavy road traffic and they mingle with each other on a regular basis.

20:58Tram stops are built quite close to each other and there is not much signal or traffic priority for trams to go fast,

21:03with trams waiting at traffic lights.

21:06So if we make our trams go faster, it may be more competitive with road transport.

21:10How can we do this?

21:12Well, for example, in the Gold Coast and Sydney, they have built many light rail systems, especially in Parramatta.

21:17Most of the trams are grade separated, either being built in their own right of way besides a road or immediate strip.

21:22The trams do go on the street, but notice anything?

21:26Cars are not allowed to go on the tram tracks.

21:30Separating the cars from trams can allow for trams to go faster speeds and they can run on time without having to sit in traffic.

21:36Let's see how this type of infrastructure could work in practice.

21:39Tram stops could be built some distance away from each other, preferably in areas with large land use.

21:44Sectors of tram lines can be built beside the road with minimal traffic interference.

21:48On several intersections, track curves may be tight, but on some occasions, it might be possible to build a large curve.

21:54Many trams go slow around tight curves, but for large curves, the tram could go slightly faster.

21:59Let's be clear that if it does whizz through a large intersection, it could take about 10-15 seconds, allowing some traffic to flow freely.

22:06Slip turns will need to be removed, as they are just about as dangerous as cars could go too fast on them and may hit an unsuspecting pedestrian.

22:14Most sections of the road will need to be reconfigured, but that's the whole point of building tram extensions.

22:19This brings the overall length at 55km long, which is long by Melbourne status, about as long as the Sydney Light Rail, Newcastle Tram and the G-Link combined.

22:29Or in the Melbourne context, the Route 75, Route 86 and Route 48 trams combined.

22:35But the overarching goal of this tram is to serve shopping and town complexes and connect up with the train stations.

22:41While many official tram extensions go on the roads and face infrastructure constraints, this is a chance for Melbourne to build a more modern light rail network that is therefore fast, accessible, grey separated, frequent and punctual.

22:54Moving slightly closer to the city, several tram extensions were proposed for Williamstown on a 1923 map.

23:00In my previous video, I discussed extending a tram from Docklands to Footscray, using either Docklands Highway or Dinham Road.

23:07For one tram extension, let's start at Footscray.

23:10One proposed line goes to Spotswood.

23:12It would continue along Hopkins Street, making two right turns onto Moreland Street and Napier Street, before turning left and continuing along Hyde Street.

23:20Passing under the Westgate Bridge, it turns right onto Simcock Avenue before doing an S-turn into Booker Street and Hudson's Road.

23:26Continuing west, it crosses the railway and terminated Stevenson Street.

23:30This extension would serve many industrial areas, science works, two schools and the Spotswood Town Centre.

23:36It would also provide connections to Spotswood Station and make shorter trips easier instead of just using the train.

23:42Some challenges include building tram tracks on the road, particularly along Hudson's Road.

23:46I assume the 1923 map was drawn with the hopes of a town being built there, but it failed to anticipate suburban development consisting mostly of housing.

23:53Here's what the area looks like in 1945, with not much housing, and here it is in 2015.

23:59There still aren't many shops and the road today is quite narrow, particularly too small for tram tracks.

24:05Another issue is the level crossing at Spotswood Station.

24:08There is a proposal to remove the level crossing.

24:11The next tram line continues from Footscray Station and goes south until it goes along Somerville Road.

24:18This section of the tram line was already built but was closed in 1961.

24:22The line would continue, making several left turns onto Geelong Road, Millers Road and Mason Street, passing over the railway and by several shops.

24:30It then makes a right turn onto Melbourne Road, goes over the railway again and continues along North Road before turning right into Douglas Parade.

24:37From there, it turns left onto Ferguson Street and makes three right turns onto Nelson Place, Coal Street and Osborne Street, crossing the Williamstown Line.

24:46It then meanders through Garda Street before turning right and continuing along the Esplanade, terminating outside Williamstown Beach.

24:53This extension would connect with shops and provide an easy trip to Williamstown Beach.

24:57There aren't many major challenges, except that the tram line goes through tight streets, so accessibility ramps would need to be built on the road at tram stops.

25:06Another tram line turns right from Douglas Parade and continues along Ferguson Street, terminating outside JT Grey Reserve.

25:13This will serve a couple of schools and connects with North Wilhelmstown Station, which is now easier as the level crossing has already been removed.

25:19Regarding the terminus, here's what the area looked like in 1945. It was quite empty and the idea was that if a tram line was built, a major town would be built there.

25:27Here it is in 2020. The area around the proposed terminus is a built up industrial area, which I am not sure if people would use the tram to go there.

25:34I would personally extend a line further along Corroy Creek Road, then turn left onto Millers Road and continue south.

25:41It would then turn right onto Queen Street, pass through Altona and continue until it reaches Labberton.

25:46From there, it would make you a left turn, follow Point Cook Road and terminate at Point Cook.

25:51This line would serve many shops and schools and developing areas in Altona and it would connect with my light route proposal for the western suburbs, allowing Melbourne's current tram fleet to operate on the line.

26:01Some challenges include the complexity of building tram trucks on streets and median strips.

26:06The line also crosses the railway twice. The level crossing at Corroy Creek Road has been removed, but the one at Seaholm hasn't.

26:13If that level crossing were removed, a railway duplication project would be needed, as the Altona loop is currently single track.

26:19There's also the issue of tram maintenance, as there is currently no tram maintenance facility in the western suburbs.

26:25However, given the availability of open land and the relatively flat terrain, building a tram depot would be quite feasible, as long as the site is easily accessible.

26:33In 2023, a project was approved to build a new tram depot in Baston.

26:37This is where Melbourne's new G-class trams will be maintained, which will run on routes 57, 59 and 82 lines.

26:44As in 2025, the depot is already under construction and the tracks have been laid.

26:49This depot could anticipate future tram extensions in the western suburbs, allowing trams to access the nearby depot, instead of taking a long and complicated route to the Essendon tram depot or the Preston workshops.

27:00Where was I again?

27:02In the 1923 map, there is one final tram extension proposed from Footscray to Sunshine.

27:08It follows Ballarat Road and then turns left onto Hampshire Road, terminated Dixon Street near Sunshine Station.

27:14This would provide a connection with both the Metro and V-Line trains, serve the nearby Footscray Hospital and allow many passengers who work in the area to take the tram along Sunshine for short trips.

27:23In 2019, the Western Melbourne Economic Development Alliance released a document titled Sunshine, daring to be great.

27:31Combined by former Victorian Premier Steve Brax, it aims to propose upgrades to the Sunshine urban area.

27:37One of the ideas included a new tram or light rail network radiating out of Sunshine to Footscray, Deer Park, Altona, Newport and Moonee Ponds.

27:45Three of these proposals closely resemble the tram routes shown in the 1923 map.

27:49The Rail Futures Institute also has a similar proposal for media capacity transit lines in the area.

27:55Let's start with the first tram line to Altona, which would pass through the Western Industrial Precinct.

28:01Continuing from the previous tram line, it would go over the Hampstead Street Bridge over the train tracks, then head south.

28:07It would make a left turn onto Wright Street, a right onto Market Road and eventually a left onto Somerville Road, joining up with the other tram line to Williamstown.

28:14Continuing onto Newport and the proposed line to Altona.

28:18One challenge of this route is the level crossing at Somerville Road, known as the Highfield Quarry Siding.

28:23Judging by the area around the crossing, the railway seems unused and doesn't see much railway traffic.

28:28So it likely wouldn't be an issue to build a tram crossing over this underutilised railway siding.

28:33The next tram line continues along Ballarat Road, turns right onto Anderson Road and then left onto Furlong Road.

28:39It passes through Sunshine North and crosses the Albion-Chakana Railway.

28:43The line continues west, serving Sunshine Hospital and Ginnifer Station, before heading toward Canley.

28:48It then turns left onto Station Road and travels towards Deer Park Station.

28:52This extension would connect with both V-Line and Metro trains while serving Sunshine Hospital.

28:57There aren't many challenges, as most of the train crossings along the route have already been grade separated.

29:01However, when it comes to the Sunshine tram proposals, here's what I would do with the extensions.

29:05I would extend the Deer Park tram further to Derrima to provide transport for the local residents and give them flexible options for both short or long trips.

29:13I would also propose several more tram lines in the western area.

29:16For example, one line could branch off from Furlong Road, turn left onto Neill Road and then continue via a light road bridge over Coraloree Creek through the park,

29:25eventually rejoining along Rockbank Middle Road.

29:27It would then tow right onto Westwood Drive, continue south and make a left onto Commercial Road passing Caroline Springs Square.

29:34From there, it would make two right turns onto Caroline Springs Boulevard and onto Taylors Road before turning left onto Calder Park Drive.

29:41Finally, it would make two more right turns crossing the Calder Highway and Railway Line and terminate at the car park outside Watergarden Shopping Centre.

29:49This tram line would serve five shopping districts, several schools and provide a convenient transport option for residents of the Brimbank area.

29:56Though the line is quite ziggy-zaggy, it might work well for local trips, even if it's less ideal for commuting into the city.

30:02There wouldn't be many major challenges, as much as the track could be built on existing median strips and there is a large patch of grass next to some roads.

30:09Another tram line I would build would continue south along Caroline Springs Boulevard, passing some shops and a primary school and then terminate outside Caroline Springs Station.

30:18Since the station is built in a nothing place, this could help serve the broader Caroline Springs Suburb and provide a connection to the V-Line train.

30:26Currently, only one local bus service runs from the station to Watergarden, which somewhat follows my proposed route alignment and comes every 30 minutes or an hour.

30:35A tram line would make commuting from Caroline Springs Station less depressing. A tram coming every 15-10 minutes would be a noticeable improvement from the low-frequency bus.

30:44So, that is pretty much all the tram extensions in Melbourne that I could cover in this video, including all the extensions shown on the 1923 map.

30:54Putting all these tram extensions together would greatly enhance Melbourne against access to public transport.

30:59One small note, the Anna Madison map proposed a tram extension from St Kilda to Brighton Beach.

31:04This was actually the historic Victorian Railways tram, which was separate from Melbourne's tram network and ran on the 1,600mm broad gate instead of the standard gate.

31:12It closed in 1959, so this wouldn't really count as an extension, but more of a reopening of an old line.

31:19Many people have dreamed of expanding the tram network for years, and many have created their own tram extensions for Melbourne, otherwise known as fantasy maps.

31:27In 2019, I created my own fantasy map of Melbourne's tram network, featuring many long-proposed extensions and new route numbers.

31:34The map matches the style of the current PTV map, though it isn't geographically accurate.

31:40But let's get to the cost. According to a 2014 document from the Greens detailing tram extensions in Melbourne, building 1km of double tram track costs approximately AU$50 million in 2014, adjusted to AU$19 million in 2025.

31:56Doing my own math, I added all my tram extensions from the previous video, and the ones we covered today are a staggering 423km altogether, and building such tram lines would cost about $8.3 billion.

32:08However, due to additional factors like land acquisition, planning and inflation, it might cost $29.6 billion.

32:15In my previous video, I mentioned the Westgate Tunnel Project, a 4km freeway tunnel built as an alternative to Westgate Bridge, aiming to solve congestion, but is likely to make traffic jams worse.

32:27It had a cost below $10 billion in 2021 due to contaminated soil.

32:32Now, there's another major freeway project underway in the north-eastern suburbs.

32:37Referred to as the North-East Link, it is a massive freeway slash road tunnel project going from Bundura to Heidelberg to Bulleen, aiming to connect the Western Ring Road to the Eastern Freeway.

32:46It has faced heavy scrutiny because it has demolished large areas of forests, homes and several town areas, except for this gardening establishment.

32:54It has suffered major cost floods and is now the most expensive freeway project in the state.

32:59Before construction began, local councils and the Ptua opposed the project when they found a government report that it would remove 25,000 passengers from public transport and into cars.

33:09This freeway might have seemed like a smart idea, but since the 2020s, we've become more aware that cars are the most polluting and least space efficient mode of transport.

33:18So, putting 25,000 people into cars is guaranteed to cause traffic jams.

33:23As of 2025, this freeway project is said to cost about $27.1 billion.

33:28Every time I pass through Greensboro, I see areas completely destroyed and I counted like 20 to 30 cranes.

33:34I would assume you don't need that many cranes for a tram project, but it seems like for this freeway, a lot of resources are being used.

33:41So, when you compare the freeway projects to tram extensions, it makes you think, what would be a better way to spend all that money?

33:47Would you spend it on this?

33:49Or would you spend it on this?

33:51I just hope that one day, governments will realise the benefits of public transport, understand that car use contributes to climate change and accept that freeway projects aren't always the answer.

34:01Building trams and improving public transit is a step forward in urban planning.

34:06Melbourne's tram system might not be expanding physically, but conversations and videos online indicate that there is significant community interest in this area.

34:14If I could give you one piece of advice, I would write to your local MP about expanding Melbourne's tram system or look closely at your political candidates and see if they have serious proposals for improving public transport.

34:25Unfortunately, such proposals are often overlooked or forgotten.

34:29It may not seem like much, but even a small improvement in public transport can have a big impact on shaping the future.

34:35Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed. If you did, leave a like and I would like to hear feedback on my more tram extensions.

34:42This has been quite a wild ride on making tram videos, but I consider it time well spent.

34:47Thanks for watching and I will see you next time. Bye!