The call by the newly-founded Save the Old Fremantle Bridge Alliance to save Freo's old wooden traffic bridge is laudable, but is it realistic? I like the old wooden bridge and would love to see it preserved, but at what costs? How much are tax and ratepayers prepared to pay for refurbishing the bridge for pedestrians and cyclists and indefinitely pay for the maintenance of it?

The SOFBA group met at a private property in Mosman Park on Wednesday with the claim that they are influential Western Suburbs people, among them also Fremantle Society president John Dowson and former WA Premier Carmen Lawrence. I must admit I had a bit of a smirk when I read that people consider themselves influential.

The idea of turning the old bridge into a so-called Highline, like they have in Melbourne, New York and Paris is no doubt worth consideration, but who is going to pay for it? The City of Fremantle does not even have the money to look after our heritage, as the Fremantle Society president rightly points out in today's Fremantle Herald, and it does not appear that the State Government is interested in preserving the bridge.

One also needs to consider that Mainroads is adding a new traffic bridge and a railway bridge in that narrow section, so what does that mean for boaties navigating through even more pillars to get out onto the ocean and back to their pens? It is already been pretty dicey at times, I have been told.

To be honest, I feel that the Swan River Crossings project by Mainroads has been all over the place. Are the new bridges needed if Fremantle Port moves to Kwinana in 25+ years? Why have we been getting conflicting reports and recommendations from the West Port Taskforce and Infrastructure WA? Is a new port needed and should it be a priority? Could the newer traffic bridge east of the the old wooden one been widened or duplicated, and why is the priority of the whole process to move as many vehicles as fast as possible over the bridges, with little regard for the impact on local communities?

Ad hoc piecemeal planning is never great governance, and the McGowan government needs to be more respectful to the Fremantle community and the immense historic significance of our port city!

Roel Loopers