Opinion: Scarborough Beach bus plea

I refer to the article in the Stirling Times, February 19, “Locals reserve opinion”.

Those of us that live very near to the so-called Secret Garden (dirty garden would be more appropriate) are most unhappy with the proposals.

In particular, we are most annoyed that public toilets are being considered to be built near the gardens/swamp.

One gets the distinct impression the City parks manager is oblivious to the fact that public toilets attract a host of undesirables.

I have lived at Careniup Avenue for 19 years.

EDWARD RETAMAL,

Gwelup

OVER the past two years I have written many letters to Transperth, WA Tourism, City of Stirling, our local Member of Parliament and our daily newspaper about public transport to the Scarborough beachfront via a CAT bus, or at the very least a bus from south Scarborough.

In the City of Stirling, there is a lack of public transport to the beachfront from south Scarborough, Woodlands and Wembley Downs and south of Scarborough Beach Road in general.

The 412 bus runs from Stirling train station through Woodlands and South Scarborough, but it terminates in Hastings Street.

I have seen many people waiting for a bus to Scarborough beachfront from the bus stop on Scarborough Beach Road by Innaloo shopping centre but they cannot use the 412 because it terminates before the beachfront.

Transperth’s excuse is lack of money, so they refuse to extend the 412 route.

ANN McMAHON,

Scarborough

Build it and they will come!

Yes, but how will they get there and where will they park?

With more than 1000 parking fines dished out so far this summer at Scarborough beach by the City of Stirling (Stirling Times, February 19, “Fears for beach parking space”), it seems they don’t have the answer to the above.

Mayor Irwin spruiks the mythical ‘light rail’ down Scarborough Beach Road as the solution. Politicians have been promising light rail for decades.

Now, Planning and Transport Minister Saffioti has announced that the free public overflow car park on Reserve Street with its 120 free public parking bays is reserved for developers. But a condition of sale will be that ‘they must match the existing level of parking’.

I fear there’s a real danger our politicians may kill the goose that lays the golden egg in Scarborough if they continue with their current ‘development at any cost’ mentality.

Now is the right time for the Premier, the Minister and the MRA to place a moratorium on any further development approvals in Scarborough redevelopment zone.

TIM PEARSON,

Scarborough “Ms Saffioti said the Scarborough Design Guidelines required a minimum of 60 per cent of non-residential parking bays be publicly available” (Stirling Times, February 19, “Fears for beach parking space”). Ms Saffiotti might well be surprised to learn that while the Scarborough Design Guidelines put an 18-storey height limit in the MRA, over 30 and 40 storeys have been approved and high-fived by the leadership of her party. Applying the same math, we get to keep 0.24 per cent of existing parking; that’s two Vespas or half a Harley Davidson. Intelligence insulted, job done Ms Saffioti. SIMON WHEELER, Scarborough