Melbourne’s Free Tram Zone should be extended to key cultural, educational, sporting and tourism precincts around the city and concession fares should be more easily available to international students to help with the cost of living, support our small businesses, and make Melbourne even more accessible and vibrant for residents, traders and visitors, according to Lord Mayor Nick Reece.
The proposed extension would provide significant benefits for Melbourne’s economy and help get people where they want to go more easily – without the hassle and additional cost of having to tap on just to travel an extra stop or two.
Under the Lord Mayor’s plan, the extended Free Tram Zone would make it easier and more affordable for students, tourists, sports fans, and arts enthusiasts to access Melbourne’s most iconic destinations, including:
- The Arts Centre: Making Melbourne’s cultural landmarks more accessible, encouraging greater participation in the arts and supporting our local creative industries.
- Melbourne Park: Providing sports fans and concert goers with free and easy access to Melbourne’s iconic sporting and live music venues, such as the MCG and the Rod Laver Arena.
- University of Melbourne: Offering financial relief to students, who are being hurt by the cost of living, by making daily commutes to campus more affordable and supporting their education.
- Royal Melbourne Hospital: Ensuring that patients, healthcare workers, and visitors can access one of the city’s major medical facilities without additional transport costs.
- Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre: Boosting tourism, business and hospitality by connecting one of Melbourne’s most popular destinations to the Free Tram Zone.
- Melbourne Museum: Enhancing accessibility to one of the city's premier cultural institutions, encouraging greater public engagement with Melbourne’s rich history and exhibitions.
As well as helping with the cost of living, extending the Free Tram Zone, which is ultimately a Victorian Government decision, would help bring more people into and around the city supporting Melbourne’s hospitality industry and retail traders.
In recognition of the contribution that international students make to our city and our state, Lord Mayor Nick Reece also wants to make it easier for them to access concession fares on public transport. Local students just need a student card to get a concession – it’s time international students were treated the same way.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Nick Reece:
“Now is the time to extend the Free Tram Zone – it’s just common sense, it will support our local businesses, ease the cost of living, particularly for students, and ensure that everyone can enjoy the very best our city has to offer.”
“International students do so much to make our city great – it’s time they are able to access concession fares in the same way that local students do.”
“I look forward to working with the Victorian Government to better support international students, and make extending the Free Tram Zone a reality that works for everyone who lives, works and visits Melbourne.”
Quotes attributable to Councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor Candidate Roshena Campbell:
“This is something that will make Melbourne even more vibrant by providing a transport option that delivers for residents, traders, and visitors.”
“We want to make it as easy and affordable as possible for people to get around our city - whether you’re trying to get to a game, uni or the museum this will make it easier to enjoy all our city has on offer.”
