 The bridge, later known as the Belmont railway bridge, carried a spur of the Perth–Guildford line that terminated south of the racecourse, but only operated on racing days.There has been proposals for a vehicle bridge since the late 1880s; it was one of the most advocated issues in the Bayswater area.The first formal request to the Perth Road Board for a vehicular crossing between Bayswater and Belmont was made in 1904, but it was declined due to insufficient trade potential.