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Star Service Shines More Brightly

Media Release

              
Star Service Shines More Brightly  

SIMPLY filling in a quick survey form has earned one Fremantle ratepayer a $100 windfall just in time for Christmas and made her aware of a free transport alternative, provided only throughout City of Fremantle suburbs, to pick-up and drop-off in areas that would otherwise miss out on a close, regular bus service. 
   
Roberta Cowan completed the survey on the Freo Star bus service and of 197 who filled in the form was drawn as the winner this week. She said she was thrilled with the voucher, which would come in very handy to buy Christmas gifts.

She said just as importantly she has now discovered a great transport service which would provide her with an alterative to riding her bike in the warm weather.

“I’ve seen the bus go past where I live in Forrest Street and now, after finding out more about it, I think it’s just a fantastic service,” she said.  

“In the area I live in there are many older people and this gives them a way of getting into Fremantle that is free and services areas that on weekends don’t have a bus service that comes very often.

City of Fremantle introduced the Freo Star in March 2007 and it’s estimated that more than 6000 people used the service in the first year. Every Saturday and Sunday, the 16 seater bus travels two routes, through Beaconsfield, Fremantle, Hamilton Hill, Samson and White Gum Valley.  The routes are designed to provide pickup and drop-offs to areas not well covered by other transport services.  

Fremantle’s community service manager Jan Bayman said the Freo Star had recently been revamped with more frequent stops, an upgraded bus and the terminus moved to Kings Square rather than the Stan Reilly Centre, to make it more central for shoppers.

“The Freo Star is a great free weekend service provided by the City and we encourage everyone to use it as a way of relieving congestion in the City centre and reducing our impact on the environment,” she said.   

“Fremantle is a really popular weekend destination and for locals busing it in for free makes great sense, because it takes all the hassle out of parking and congested traffic.”  

More information about the Freo Star service, including timetables, is available from the City of Fremantle website. Maps are available from the Customer Service desk on the ground floor at the Town Hall centre.     

For more information contact Jan Bayman at the City of Fremantle on 9432 9542.

PHOTO CAPTIONS: Picture Shows Roberta Cowan (second from left), a convert to the Freo Star bus service collecting her prize from Jan Bayman (right) accompanied by Alex George.