The overcrowding on trams continued the upward trend experienced in recent years and was again most evident on routes serviced by Yarra Trams' ageing fleet of small Z-class and A-class trams.
Route 48 between North Balwyn and Docklands, route 55 from West Coburg to Domain, and routes 1, 3, 5, 8, 16, 64 and 67 - all of which ply the city's busiest tram corridor along Swanston Street and St Kilda Road - were worst hit.
By contrast, Melbourne's busiest route, number 96 between St Kilda Beach and East Brunswick, suffered no overcrowding as it continued to be exclusively allocated the new high-capacity E-class tram.
Public Transport Users Association president Tony Morton said the train network was again showing signs of strain after recent timetable boosts had eased the commuter squeeze.
"We got a big improvement in 2011 from a new timetable that basically plucked some low-hanging fruit that we'd had for years when people realised that we had some extra track capacity in the middle of the city, but the low-hanging fruit is running out now and we need to bite the bullet with some real investment in capacity improvements," he said.
"There's real concern as to whether the best solution is the one being pursued commercially as a result of this unsolicited process," he said.
"We see the need for an independent expert under the auspices of PTV to look at this, who can adjudicate in the public interest without fear or favour."
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