NORTH Fremantle residents who protested against Perth Freight Link (PFL) yesterday were left disappointed at a lack of information about plans for a future Roe 10.
“We want to know about Roe 10 and what (Premier Colin Barnett is) planning, as there’s no point in building Roe 8 and Roe 9, and leaving Roe 10 in the air,” resident Susan Axten said.
Mr Barnett hassaid the portside suburb’s dangerous Tydeman Road-Stirling Highway intersection may be modified for toll trucks and cars coming from the $1.6 billion PFL’s proposed $900m Roe 9 tunnel 1.6km further south.
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READ NOWThe PFL could allow Fremantle Port to triple current container handling capacity to 2.1 million by 2038, but both Liberal and Labor parties’ policies leave the majority of truck traffic to use Tydeman Road through the suburb’s historic centre.
Northbank development residents between the Fremantle and Stirling bridges said there had been more pollution from diesel particles, greater truck gear noise and worsening traffic and pedestrian safety as container traffic increased in recent years.
Mooted plans for change include doubling Stirling Bridge, a Tydeman Road flyover and a loop road for trucks at the end the bar and cafe strip on Queen Victoria Street.
North Fremantle Community Association convenor Gerard MacGill said residents needed to know “the truth” about Roe 10 so they could make long-term plans for their families and homes.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said his council recently decided not to publicly release “mock-ups” of its Tydeman Road solutions because of the “heat” from the State Election campaign, and a need to test the designs’ engineering.
Dr Pettitt said initial talks with Main Roads WA about the PFL’s route from Roe 9 had been “upfront”, but no space to widen Tydeman Road had restricted both the council and Main Roads.
Main Roads spokesman Dean Roberts said improvements “in the Fremantle area” were being investigated, but none were finalised.
“Analysis undertaken to date confirms minor civil modifications to the Stirling Highway-Canning Highway intersection will deliver a better than current level of service at the intersection on Stirling Highway up to 2026, whilst maintaining the current level of service on Canning Highway eastbound,” Mr Roberts said.