Coastal residents promised free beach buses while Mandogalup students plead for public transport

Hundreds of students are crossing treacherous roads and dodging trucks to get to school as new housing estates spring up, exposing a dearth of pedestrian paths and a lack of public transport in Perth’s southern suburbs.

On the same day residents living in new estates in the southern growth corridor suburbs of Aubin Grove, Mandogalup and Hammond Park protested the lack of public transport in their area, their local member for Kwinana – Premier Roger Cook – spruiked free bus services for northern suburbs residents to get to the beach.

Parents are calling for the government to act so school children can have a safe passage to school.

Cook said a re-elected Labor government would spend $14 million to introduce a free Surf CAT bus service to alleviate parking pressure and traffic at Scarborough Beach.

The Surf CAT would operate every 10 minutes during peak periods, running from Stirling Train Station direct to Scarborough Beach in less than 15 minutes.

It comes on top of Labor’s $90 million upgrade of Stirling Bus Interchange, including constructing a new pedestrian bridge between Stirling Station and the southern car park.

But further down the coast, Apsley Estate resident Zoe-marie Masters has led the charge to prompt Transperth to extend bus services south of Hammond Park following an explosion in residential and commercial developments in the area.

Masters said safe travel to school should be prioritised over convenience for beachgoers.

“It’s absolutely disgusting,” she said.

“The number of trucks that drive down Rowley Road every hour is of great concern to parents, as their children navigate crossing that busy thoroughfare before and after school.

“Given this affects residents in Roger Cook’s electorate of Kwinana, the ignorance from his office is unacceptable.”

Roger Cook announcing a re-elected Labor government would commit millions for free buses to Scarborough Beach for northern suburbs residents.Credit: WA Labor

She said many residents, including herself, drove their children to Hammond Park Secondary College, which was creating traffic congestion.

Masters, who met with Transport Minister Rita Saffioti in September, said there had been multiple reports of near misses with students, bikes and cars, including one incident involving a young boy last week.

“It’s just a matter of time before there is a serious accident and then whose hands are dirty?” she said.

In response to questions from this masthead, Cook said he would support any new bus links to keep the community connected.

“We know that in growing communities, especially in new developments, there is always demand for more services,” he said.

A Public Transport Authority spokeswoman said Transperth was constantly assessing the public transport network for future expansion, including in new housing estates.

“Transperth is reviewing its bus service network priorities in the Mandogalup area, including in Apsley Estate,” she said.

“As always, Transperth assesses a wide range of factors in considering how to best support the needs of the community, including what will deliver the greatest benefit.”

The state government committed $1 million to upgrade the roundabout at Rowley Road and Lyon Road, which was identified by Main Roads as a black spot.

However, the City of Cockburn withdrew the project from the program and did not receive the funding allocation.

The City’s head of planning Carol Catherwood said it had submitted a proposal to Main Roads WA to put traffic lights at the intersection, which would upgrade its current roundabout treatment.

The City is awaiting a response from MRWA but Catherwood said if approved and funding was available construction could begin within the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 financial years.

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