Car flips onto Royal Parade tram tracks after crashing into pole

A dramatic single-vehicle crash on Royal Parade brought lunchtime traffic and tram services to a standstill yesterday, after a car flipped onto its side and came to rest across the central tram tracks.

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) was called to the incident at 1.09pm on December 16, with firefighters arriving within three minutes to find the overturned vehicle and a fallen light pole blocking the roadway.

An FRV spokesperson said no-one was trapped inside the vehicle, and Ambulance Victoria assessed one patient at the scene. Firefighters worked quickly to stabilise the site, laying sand to absorb leaking fluids and notifying VicRoads about the downed pole. The incident was declared under control at 1.14pm before the vehicle was towed and the scene handed to Victoria Police for investigation.

The crash caused significant disruption to Royal Parade’s tram corridor, with several north- and south-bound trams banked up as emergency services responded.

Parkville Association president Rob Moore, who arrived shortly after the crash, said the vehicle appeared to have mounted the nature strip before slamming into the light pole with enough force to bring it down.

“It appears the vehicle just careered over the top of a nature strip and hit the lamp pole and brought the whole lamp pole down,” Mr Moore told Inner City News. “There was a lamp pole across Royal Parade and four or five trams each way held up.”

Mr Moore said the driver was visibly shaken but conscious when he reached the scene.

“The guy who was the driver was sitting under a tree when I got there. Obviously shocked. He would have been glad to have survived because he hit it [the pole] head on.”

While no witnesses saw the moment of impact, locals speculated that speed or a mechanical failure may have been factors.

“The conjecture was he must have been doing a hell of a speed,” Mr Moore said. “I know the police and fire brigade were looking underneath at his steering. So maybe he had an issue with his steering.”

Mr Moore said the crashed vehicle was an old Kombi van, which had flipped from the force of the collision.

Tram services resumed after the scene was cleared and the damaged light pole was secured. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash.