The Andrews Labor Government is marking a major milestone across the tram network with the final route receiving the largest and newest E-Class trams to increase accessibility.

The low-floor, Melbourne-built E-Class trams will operate on Route 58 between West Coburg and Toorak from 19 December, adding extra accessible services and creating 50 per cent more capacity to the busy route.

The milestone follows years of planning and development to increase capacity across the network.

The modern trams can carry up to 210 passengers and will join the high-floor B-Class trams on the 18-kilometre Route 58, increasing capacity from 3,000 to 4,500 people during peak times. That means more space and less overcrowding for passengers as people return to public transport.

Passenger comfort will also improve, with 100 E-Class trams across the network featuring audio and visual information, air conditioning, improved safety features and dedicated spaces for passengers with mobility aids or prams.

The changes to Route 58 come ahead of works in February next year to upgrade the tram stop at Collins and Williams Street in the CBD to a level-access platform stop and follows an upgrade to the Toorak Station tram stop to a level access platform stop in June this year.

Route 58 services some of the city’s key tourist attractions along with the Parkville medical precinct, with key destinations including the Melbourne Zoo, Queen Victoria Market, The Royal Children’s Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, William Street in the CBD, Crown Entertainment Complex, Shrine of Remembrance and Toorak Road shopping.

Other routes will also benefit from the change, with low-floor D-Class trams moving from Route 58 to Route 6 (Moreland to Glen Iris), Route 16 (Melbourne University to Kew) and Route 5 (Melbourne University to Malvern).

New timetables will come into effect for Route 58 and interconnecting routes from 19 December to reflect the introduction of the new trams, and can be viewed online at ptv.vic.gov.au from 3 December.