Here are the ‘Free’ Freo buses running up & down South Terrace

Not only the 532 but also the 511, 512, 513, 520, 531, 548, 549, 998, 999

When the Deputy Premier and Minister for Bridges, Rita Saffioti, announced at the end of October a package of measures to help Fremantle deal with the expected impacts on business of the closure of the Old Fremantle Traffic Bridge in February, we summed up the ‘free’ bus component of the package in this way –

‘To support movement within the Fremantle area, the government will implement a free-travel zone along South Terrace between Douro Road and the Fremantle Station.

This change will operate for the period of the traffic bridge closure and will apply to all passengers using a SmartRider who board and alight at any of these stops.’

The Shipping News has recently received queries from Shipees wondering whether it is only the 532 bus to which this Free bus offering applies, or is it any bus travelling down South Terrace between Douro Road to the Station. We had understood it to be the latter, but thought we’d better double check with the Main Roads WA folk who are all over these sorts of things.

Turns out my understanding is correct. Here’s the advice just to hand from Main Roads WA identifying all the ‘Free’ Freo buses –

The buses that operate in the Free Transit Zone are: 511, 512, 513, 520, 531, 532, 548, 549, 998, 999.

To be eligible for the Free Transit Zone, your journey must start and be completed within the Free Transit Zone, and you must tag on and tag off with a valid SmartRider. If your journey starts or ends outside of the Free Transit Zone, you will be charged the full fare.

Perhaps when all the Bridge works are over and the New Fremantle Traffic Bridge is opened, the Old Blue CAT Bus, or one that sort of resembles it, will start operating around Freo again too!