P2P advocates Sara Franklyn, Melissa Harkins and Kate Main want adjacent safe cycling streets to exploit the PSP which will go under the Eric Street bridge at its dangerous Curtin Avenue intersection in Cottesloe.
Camera IconP2P advocates Sara Franklyn, Melissa Harkins and Kate Main want adjacent safe cycling streets to exploit the PSP which will go under the Eric Street bridge at its dangerous Curtin Avenue intersection in Cottesloe. Credit: Supplied/Jon Bassett

Cycling lobbyists want towns of Cottesloe and Claremont to exploit shared path route opportunities

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

CYCLING lobbyists want councils to exploit the State Government’s $18.7 million principal shared path (PSP) through Cottesloe and join it to routes for those going to work, school and university in suburbs from Crawley to Fremantle.

“We want them to link the PSP to other major places like UWA, the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, schools and beaches, on safe streets along the route,” Perth to Port Bike and Walk (P2P) convenor Kate Main said.

Last month, the Government said it would complete the gap in the PSP left by the previous Liberal government between Grant Street, Cottesloe and Victoria Street Mosman Park in 2018-19, with a section to North Fremantle to follow later.

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Ms Main said P2P members, comprising western suburbs and Fremantle councillors, were told by State Transport and Planning Department staff the PSP would be 4m wide, go under Eric Street Bridge in Cottesloe and would be a green corridor with shade.

P2P will now push for shared paths in adjacent streets so all cyclists could continue an opportunity demonstrated by safe active street linking other parts of the PSP to UWA in the City of Nedlands.

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Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Going under the Eric Street Bridge will allow riders to avoid the dangerous intersection with Curtin Avenue in Cottesloe, considered one of the most dangerous cycling routes in Perth.

“Cottesloe needs to encourage safe cycling routes to the beach, the primary and the private schools,” P2P member Melissa Harkins said.

A Town of Cottesloe spokeswoman said it was too early to say how the PSP would be used, but a Bike Planning Committee would look at options when further information was known.

Claremont chief executive Liz Ledger said cycling paths costing about $600,000 included a Graylands Road shared path in 2017-18, and an off-ramp at the south end of Stirling Road and the Stirling Highway path replacement program for pedestrians and cyclists.

Mosman Park Mayor Brett Pollock said his town would consider reviewing its draft bike plan align it with a completed PSP, including a survey to identify the best links to the commuter route and shops.

Mr Pollock said grants to revise the plan would be sought in late 2019, but new shared paths across the town would have to be considered in later budgets.

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