- The Matagarup Bridge will link East Perth to the city’s new stadium in Burswood
- A pulley system will be added to the bridge’s 70-metre viewing platform
- WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the system is for people with disabilities
A pulley system will be added to the Swan River pedestrian bridge so disabled people can enjoy the view over Perth from a 70-metre viewing platform.
The Matagarup Bridge, which is currently under construction, will link East Perth to the city’s new stadium in Burswood.
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti told The West Australian the pulley system for people with disabilities was added when the bridge’s design was revised.
A pulley system will be added to Matagarup Bridge so disabled people can enjoy the view over Perth from a 700-metre viewing platform (pictured)
‘I understand there will be capacity to accommodate a hoist operation that will allow people with disabilities to access the viewing platform at the apex of the two primary arches,’ she said.
‘When the operation of the bridge walk is publicly tendered, I expect a condition will be that the operator must provide disability access to the platform.’
Tourism Council Chief Executive Evan Hall told the publication it is not always feasible or safe to cater to such rules when building a new structure.
‘We end up having no attractions because there are all these rules that say it’s got to be available to everyone, even though everybody doesn’t want it and it just makes it commercially unviable or illegal,’ he told The West Australian.
Mr Hall said he agreed with the rules of the Disability Discrimination Act, but argued for more market research to see if there is a demand for such features.
The pedestrian bridge, which links East Perth to the city’s new stadium in Burswood, is under construction (pictured)
It is illegal for the operator of a structure to exclude access for disabled people, unless creating access would be an ‘unjustifiable hardship’.
‘Discrimination is allowed if premises are existing, and alterations required to make them accessible would impose unjustifiable hardship on the person providing the accessibility,’ according to the Disability Discrimination Act.
Construction of the bridge is expected to end in March and is expected to cost at least $90 million. It was originally budgeted at $54million.
Perth company Civmec was granted the bridge contract.