Hopes Dashed –  Blue CAT Not Being Restored

PTA confirms brochure promise of free bus down Marine Terrace to Freo Station during Bridge closure ‘an error’

The Australian Government, The Government of Western Australia and Main Roads Western Australia recently dropped this brochure in many Fremantle letterboxes.

Much of the information in it is useful  and the message that we should PLAN AHEAD with the forthcoming closure of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge from 1 February for up to 12 months, extremely sensible.

And the section urging us to Use Public Transport in particular, very important.

However, not all the information in that section is correct.

After she received the brochure, and closely read it as the senders hoped she and others would, an avid South Fremantle reader of the Shipping News formed the view that, in effect, the old Blue CAT bus route along Marine Terrace to Freo Railway Station was being restored – at least temporarily.

When said reader then told me how excited she was to read this, I voiced some uncertainty because it seemed at odds with what Rita – Deputy Premier Safiotti, that is – had announced earlier, that the free buses would be those running to the Station along South Terrace and that no mention was made by Rita about a Marine Terrace bus. Said reader, a little impatiently, then told me to re-read the relevant bit of brochure, which she promptly emailed to me to make sure I did.

She was, of course, right. It does say exactly what she said it said. Here’s the relevant bit.

There it is ‘along Marine Terrace and South Terrace’.

At that point I sought clarification from the helpful folk at Main Roads WA. They in turn passed on my query to the PTA – Perth Transport Authority – the agency that actually runs the buses, and yesterday afternoon PTA fessed up to a stuff up. They had made ‘an error’.

Here’s exactly what the PTA said in yesterday’s email to me –

There was an error in the brochure, which incorrectly stated that Marine Terrace was within the Free Travel Zone.

The free travel is for SmartRider users along South Terrace between Douro Road and the Fremantle Station.

The team is working to replace the incorrect material and apologises for any confusion.

So, expect another brochure in your letterboxes sometime soon.

But also expect the fight for the return of the Blue CAT to continue!

* By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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