Working within the road reserve

Avoid delays to trams and buses

Do your roadworks affect tram and bus services? Find info on approvals, traffic management, and contacts.

Why it's important

It's important to avoid delays to trams and buses when carrying out works in the road reserve because:

Thousands of Victorians depend on trams and buses for their daily journeys to work, school, and other activities.
Trams and buses share the road with cars and other vehicles, any road disruptions will cause delays and impact many passengers.
Delays can cause passengers to miss connecting services.
A safe, reliable, and on-time public transport system encourages more people to use public transport, which helps reduce traffic congestion.

Undertaking works in a road reserve

The Road Management Act 2004 requires anyone planning to do work within a road reserve to get written approval from the coordinating road authority (CRA) first, unless an exemption applies.

For more information, please download our guide to working in the road reserve (PDF).

How to avoid delays to trams and buses?

Anyone planning roadworks is responsible for considering the impact on tram and bus services and infrastructure.

It's up to a person like the works manager to set up traffic management that keeps trams and buses running on time and provides safe access to tram and bus stops for passengers.

When planning for the works, including preparing a traffic management plan, the works manager needs to:

Know which tram and bus routes are affected and how often they run.
Think about how delays even from traffic jams at and near the worksite, will impact tram and bus services and safe access to stops.
Find ways to reduce the risk of delays to trams and buses and keep access to stops safe.
Check if buses can still turn if works restrict access to turning lanes.
Do everything reasonable to stop or minimise disruptions to trams, buses, and access to stops.
Talk to tram and bus operators and Public Transport Victoria (PTV) early in the planning stage about any proposed changes to tram or bus infrastructure or services, or access to stops. They know what passengers need and can often suggest alternatives.
Contact the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) for freeways and main roads or your local council for local streets to discuss traffic management around the worksite to minimise impacts on public transport and other road users
If detours are needed, make sure they're suitable for large vehicles like buses.

Notification of works affecting tram or bus services or access to stops

Works managers must notify affected public transport operators and PTV as early as possible during the planning stage if tram or bus services or access to stops will be affected.

Early notification helps bus and tram operators maintain safe, reliable, and punctual services.

You can find more information in the Code of Practice for the Management of Infrastructure in Road Reserves.

Notification of events affecting tram or bus services or access to stops

Event organisers must notify PTV if their event will affect regular public transport service, like needing a different route, replacement services, extra services, or cancellations

PTV needs to know about any event that could impact public transport services, no matter the size. This includes sporting events, community events, rallies, marches, festivals, film shoots, and major events.

Tell PTV about your event.