Vic woman sues for safe access to historic W-class trams
An 86 year old pensioner who slipped from a historic W-Class tram in
Melbourne and cracked a verterbra, thus restricting her mobility, has
lodged an anti discrimination case against the Department of
Infrastructure because she can’t get on this type of tram.
She lives on the Chapel Street route which features the W-Class trams,
and it takes her an hour to walk to her doctor, as the steps on the tram
are too high for her to board the tram. Most taxis refuse to pick her up
as the $3 fare is too small.
The Tram company says they are forced by the Government to use the
historic trams on the Chapel Street route for their tourist appeal, and
so the trams are exempt from the policy of making public transport
accessible to all.
The woman is representing herself when the case goes before the
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in December.
