THE family of a woman who suffered a serious shoulder injury on a path at Fremantle’s port says it’s “mind blowing” it wasn’t fixed more than a year and a half after it was identified as dangerous and a repair budget allocated.

Michael Thomas said his mother was injured on March 22 after the family returned from what had been a “great” day trip to Rottnest and walked along the shared path on the south-west end of Peter Hughes Drive.

“We all came back together along that path and we had to divert around an overhanging car, and then there was another group coming past so mum stepped back, but there was no path, just a gap of about 100 mil that went to sand and rocks.”

Mr Thomas said his mother’s arm got caught in a fence as she fell, and they had to call on passers-by to help free her. Discovering she had dislocated her arm, an ambulance was called and she spent the night in the hospital emergency department.

• Overhanging cars have been blamed for a pedestrians injury on Victoria Quay.

“She was in huge pain. I have had a shoulder injury so I could really understand the pain she was in,” he said.

“They didn’t get it back in at first, and had to do the reduction a couple of times; it’s like a pretty massive injury.”

He said surgery had since been required as she’d torn the tendon from the bone, but thankfully she was now on the mend.

The Herald reported in December 2014 that cyclists were concerned about cars overhanging the shared path, forcing riders and pedestrians towards the edge of the path. At the time, Fremantle Ports said wheel stops had been approved and funded to prevent vehicles encroaching onto the path.

Mr Thomas said discovering that report left him stunned.

“Then I found your article that showed this had been known about for more than a year and a half, and they’ve got the budget for it, but it hasn’t been done – that’s just mind blowing.”

Mr Thomas said he contacted Fremantle Ports on March 28 to report the incident and ask when the hazard would be fixed. He said repeated follow-up emails and phone calls failed to produce a substantive response.

“I sent an email, and then a week later I called and said I haven’t got a response and they say to send it to this address, then nothing for a week, so I called again, then I got someone from their PR or customer service department saying we will get back to you soon.

“But I haven’t heard anything, and it makes you wonder what their values are.”

Mr Thomas said his family’s concern was preventing someone else from being hurt.

“My mum is not interested in getting compensation, but for me it’s about address a public safety issue, and is the only way they are going to act is when they see the dollar signs at the bottom of the bill.

“I really just want to make sure other people don’t go through this.”

He said the drainage ditch beside the path had since been filled.A Fremantle Ports spokesperson said: “Fremantle Ports is aware of the matter and has been in direct correspondence with the individual concerned. As the matter has been referred to our insurer, it would not be appropriate for us to comment.”

by STEVE GRANT