Cottesloe bike path advocate still waiting for route along Fremantle railway line

COTTESLOE bike path advocate Marion Ewing wants to know how a long-awaited bike route funded by the State Government will fit along the Fremantle Railway line.

“It’s terrific news because we’ve waited so long for it to be built, but the question mark is where it’s going to run next to the line,” Ms Ewing said.

After the Curtin Avenue death of cyclist Tim Anderson in 2012, as a member of the Cottesloe-Mosman Park Bike User Group, she called for a path linking Grant Street station with Tydeman Road in North Fremantle.

In September, the Government announced it would provide $129 million over the next four years to increase Perth’s cycling network by 95km, including along the Fremantle train line from Grant Street in Cottesloe to North Fremantle. However, funds allocated for that Cottesloe section are set down in the State budget for 2020-21, prompting formation of a lobby group of councillors from affected councils.

Ms Ewing said the Government now had to say when the path would be built and where it would go because the overall route had specific dangers for cyclists at the Eric, Jarrad and Victoria streets crossings, in addition to needing more access points than just railway stations.

“If it’s wide enough and built well enough, most cyclists will dodge Curtin Avenue because it’s a danger to ride on,” she said.

A Department of Transport spokeswoman said the budget allocations would not allow both Mitchell Freeway and Fremantle bike paths to be done concurrently, but “fast tracking” the Fremantle route would be examined if “adequate savings” from other projects could be found. She said designing with access for all users and trips was being conducted from Grant Street to Victoria Street, in addition to a feasibility design from Victoria Street to North Fremantle.

She said from Grant Street to Victoria Street, the path would run predominantly on the existing verge, at Eric Street it would be in the rail reserve, but there were “complex” issues to overcome caused by land uses from Victoria Street to North Fremantle.

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