LOCAL businesses and residents fear someone will be killed along the South Fremantle cafe strip in South Fremantle unless action is taken to control traffic.
• It didn’t take the Chook long to find a monster 4WD blocking views while illegally parking outside Abhi’s Bakery (above). The traffic chaos has Tasty Express owner Ray Fiannaca, IGA owner Carlo Noto and Symone Brigugilo (right) calling for action. Photos by Steve Grant and Brendan Foster
Tasty Express cafe co-owner Ray Fiannaca says the stretch from the corner of South Terrace and South Street to Douro Road isn’t coping with the massive increase in traffic it’s experienced in the last decade.
“It’s absolute chaos,” he told the Herald.
“I’ve been here nine years and I’ve never seen anything like it. The cars are just zipping through here. A woman on a bike with two kids on a carriage behind was knocked over here last week.
Nelson Street resident Michael Briguglio contacted the Herald after witnessing a bingle at the corner of Jenkin Street and South Terrace earlier this week. A driver almost ploughed into the Copper Chimney restaurant while avoiding a car she hadn’t seen while pulling out.
“It’s just a matter of time before a car will collide with another one and ricochet onto a pedestrian,” siad Mr Nelson, who has a one-year-old son.
“There are 27 kids in my street and I just want to know if Fremantle council are aware of the issue and what they are planning to do to slow down the traffic?”
Mr Briguglio says massive four wheel drives don’t help, as they block the view of cars pulling out of side streets.
Mr Fiannaca wants speed bumps or crosswalks, but says it’s not just hoons putting lives at risk. Weekend motorists keen for their coffee fix park illegally on Lefroy Road next to his shop, blocking the busy thoroughfare and causing chaos.
“It’s the Wild West on the weekends,” he says. “There has been punch-ups and pushing and shoving, because people are blocking traffic.
“I wrote to [Fremantle council] a couple of times but haven’t heard back in two months.
South Fremantle IGA owner Carlo Noto says the speeding is getting dangerous. “There needs to be a crosswalk like in front of Fremantle Hospital, because people know to slow down,” he says.
by BRENDAN FOSTER
As a cyclist I tend to avoid South Terrace south of the South Street intersection due to the behaviour of motorists; injuries or worse are just not worth it.
However today I thought I would continue south on South Terrace instead of riding south on Marine Terrace. Well it wasn’t the smartest decision I have made, as one impatient Mercedes Benz driver felt he couldn’t wait three or four seconds and decided to turn right at the South Street lights cutting me off. Thankfully I am well alert now days to this sort of driving and was ready to jump on the brakes. Had I not been it might have been a less pleasant outcome. [1]
Was it worth a few seconds? No it wasn’t. Time for us all to slow down and enjoy the ride.
[1] http://youtu.be/c-KqdU5zZyQ
Regards
Andrew Priest