CYCLISTS have called on Main Roads to upgrade the “noisy, scary, intimidating” Stirling Bridge detour designed to get them in and out of Fremantle during the traffic bridge closure.

High on the list of Fremantle Bicycle Users Group suggestions is making the barrier between the traffic and the narrow dual use path higher, as they fear it’s low enough for a cyclist to get flipped into oncoming cars and trucks if there’s a collision.    

The issue was discussed at a bridge forum convened by Design Freo last week.

“It’s quite a low railing and a narrow path, so it can get very crowded,” Freo BUG member Annie Matan said.

Another cyclist said he’d already bumped handlebars while passing other bikes.

Dr Matan said she’d like to see speeds reduced to 45kmh, or even as low as 30kmh to help make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

“Already I see youth running through the traffic,” she said.

Dr Matan said the intersection of Tydeman Road and Queen Victoria Street was also very difficult for cyclists and walkers, as moving cars was the clear priority for Main Roads.

• Freo BUG members fear someone could get flipped over the low rail that separates them from the traffic on Stirling Bridge if the added congestion leads to more stacks. Photo by Steve Grant

She said there could be some “quick upgrades” to infrastructure to help two-wheelers and walkers, such as improving the lighting along the detour and installing some colourful “wombat crossings”.

BUG member Paul Melville uses the bridge and says they’re disappointed more of the group’s recommendations weren’t picked up by Main Roads.

“It would be really useful if someone who designs it took a ride through the detours they create during peak hour,” Mr Melville said.

A recent detour had cyclists walking into oncoming traffic on the slip lane out of Fremantle and left onto Stirling Bridge, though that’s been cleared up as the works progress, while other bugbears for users are the tyre-width cracks between concrete panels on the bridge catching out cyclists as they manoeuvre past each other, and no signage to alert them to an excellent connecting path on the south-east corner of the Stirling/Canning intersection.

BUG collected 1654 signatures on a petition presented to Parliament by Greens MLC Brad Pettitt on Tuesday.

“Despite Main Roads themselves acknowledging that there is going to be severe congestion, there has been no funding towards improving cycling or walking infrastructure around the bridge,” Dr Pettitt said at a doorstop outside Parliament.

Fremantle North Ward councillor Melanie Clark told the forum horror traffic stories were already emerging.

“For North Freo, this is the common now,” she said, relating a story from a resident who’d abandoned their car on the verge just 20 metres from their driveway because it was taking too long to get home.

Another had given up trying to get his children to sport activities.

Cr Clark said the council had been lobbying hard in the background, and had seen where Main Roads had listened and responded to suggestions and concerns, urging people to attend the department’s information sessions to speak up and be heard.

She believes making trains free from Fremantle to North Fremantle would help get about 2000 people out of cars, but says the response was not encouraging; there was a fear it would be too popular.

by STEVE GRANT