Cyclists will be able to use a commuter path to avoid truck and cars on Curtin Avenue to Mosman Park by mid-next year:
Camera IconCyclists will be able to use a commuter path to avoid truck and cars on Curtin Avenue to Mosman Park by mid-next year: Credit: Supplied/Supplied, Jon Bassett

Cycling advocate welcomes State Budget funding to complete Perth-Fremantle commuter path

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

CYCLISTS will be able to avoid dangerous Cottesloe traffic after the State Government announced its 2018-19 budget would fund extending the Perth-Fremantle commuter bike path to Mosman Park by mid-next year.

“That’s great, because it opens up lots of area for cyclists to get to Mosman Park, Cottesloe and even Fremantle, and provides a safe way for to get to work and schools,” path campaigner Michael Thomas told the Western Suburbs Weekly.

Cyclists on the avenue brush shoulders with congested traffic and port trucks, giving Cottesloe the second-highest claimed cycling accident rate in Perth.

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However, the previous Liberal government left a 4.5km gap in the principal shared path (PSP) along the Fremantle railway line from Grant Street, Cottesloe to Tydeman Road, North Fremantle.

Until recent campaigning upped the ante, the State Government would have only started work in at least two years.

Yesterday, $18.7 million was announced in the budget to complete a PSP from its current dead end at Grant Street to Victoria Street, Mosman Park in two stages during 2018-19.

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Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/Supplied

The first stage takes the path to Jarrad Street, Cottesloe, followed by the Victoria Street section.

The PSP to Tydeman Road in North Fremantle is planned for 2019-20, followed by tackling the difficulty of getting the route properly over the Swan River to Fremantle so they do not use the broken path on the Fremantle road bridge.

Mr Thomas said while a PSP to Mosman Park was welcomed, the greatest benefit to cyclists, drivers, students and tourists would be linking Fremantle, Cottesloe and Perth.

“The real key is what’s called have ‘A to B-ism’ which makes the route even more attractive because you link main places, and having big gaps is still a big problem,” he said.

The Fremantle rail line will have to share $7.3 million for improvements to level crossings, and $4.2 million would be spent on a Mt Claremont bus depot in 2018-19 after the Government announced a $10 million upgrade for Claremont train station last week.

There is $67 million for Subiaco’s Inner City College, with $36 million allocated in the next 12 months, followed by $29.8 million before the college opens in 2020.

Shenton College upgrades gets $13.8 million, $5 million has been set aside for City Beach residential college and West Leederville Primary School will receive $500,000 for improvements.

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