WE have regular contributors to this paper complaining about the removal of the heavy rail from Wickham to Sydney.
Their main complaint is the extra time taken to get into the city. I must admit, I was one of the people who would have signed a save our rail petition, but I have long since changed my mind.
As a resident of Stockton, the closing of the heavy rail has meant that our access to Hunter Street is no longer by a set of ugly old wooden stairs that took us over the rail line. This was impossible for anyone that was disabled. To get to the heavy rail we now simply walk straight across Wharf Road to the Queens Wharf light rail station rather than previously the 400 metres to get to Newcastle station via the corner of Watt and Scott streets. We then not only have regular access to Civic and Wickham, but also three other stops (Crown Street and Honeysuckle westward and Newcastle Beach to the east) that were unavailable with the heavy rail and we know that during the day our maximum wait time is seven minutes.
The closure of the heavy rail has meant the removal of the ugly chain wire fences and has indeed opened and beautified the area considerably. It has provided a much more regular and reliable service and is quieter.
It is easy to be negative, but one should also acknowledge that there are also big positives.
Lloyd Davies, Stockton
Old roads keep us rolling
I WAS driving along Lockyer Street Merewether/Adamstown yesterday and reflected on the fact that these concrete roads were built during the depression of 1928 to 1932 with government funding and are still in good condition.
They are mildly annoying when you drive over the bumps between the concrete slabs but they are as effective in reducing speed as the speed humps that we have in many of our suburban streets.
They have needed no maintenance in nearly one hundred years compared to the frequent resurfacing and filing of potholes that is required to keep our modern roads functional.
Obviously it would be expensive to construct these concrete roads, but it would be far more cost effective in the long run. With modern science and materials, there must surely be a way to construct something similar.
These roads are in far better condition than the tarred roads, in spite of all the wet weather we have experienced over the last several years. I would love to see someone thinking outside the box and come up with some sort of long term solution.
Ruth Burrell, Merewether
Getting nation on track
YOU'VE truly got to look at the history of Scott Morrison to understand who the true destroyer is ... let's start with the bushfires then head to the disastrous COVID vaccines rollout then the RAT debacle closely followed by the jobkeeper payments to major businesses with no legislative ability to claw them back.
Morrison was certainly channelling his ukulele playing curry making inner self. Maybe he should stick to Maccas at Engadine; truly suited to his level of cuisine.
Albo has been successful in allowing the adults to get this country back on track with our trading partners - wheat, barley and our wine (very soon). Let's talk about another disaster and the trillion dollar debt fact checked by the ABC and state much of the debt incurred before COVID. Albo is well known throughout Australia ... and met successful people even from Fingal Bay.
David Alexander, Mayfield East
Fertile no more
THE Fertile Crescent, a home of early civilisation, is fertile no more.
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers of Iraq are not supplying the water that they once did. Creeping desertification caused by climate change, wasteful traditional irrigation practices and diversion of water upstream are the culprits. Even the ancient qanats (or underground tunnels) that bring 'unfailing' water from the mountains in the North are running dry.
Since the planet's ocean surfaces are warming, total evaporation and rainfall have increased, but not in Iraq and the Middle East. As a result, in future, Australia and Europe should expect many more refugees from this region.
The story of the Tigris and Euphrates is an object lesson in our own water management of the Murray-Darling catchment, Australia's inland food bowl. Australia does not have the excuse of hostile nations diverting water upstream. We also waste water. For example, cotton and rice should not be irrigated and grown in the Murray-Darling catchment as they use too much water.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Short Takes
BRILLIANT effort from the Matildas. Terrible effort from the referees/VAR in the last two games. Certainly well clear from any "home town bias"! Apparently the rules see different applications depending on your shirt colour.
Stephen Willmott, Maitland
Goldilocks city, for now
BEAUTIFULLY said Mark Mathot ("Australia's 'Goldilocks' city", Letters, 17/8). You believe that Newcastle is "just right" in size so let's try to keep it that way. Development and change is everywhere but different isn't always better. Let's keep our city's heart and aim for a city that's even better.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Keep it up Knights
SEVEN games won in a row by the Knights; first time in 20 years. I am hoping you can continue the run and make all your fans as happy as I saw today, as the Bunnies fans were leaving early, including Latrell Mitchell.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
No judgement in 'no'
GOOD to see Penny Wong looking down her nose at anyone who dares to vote 'no' through my television screen. The difference with the 'no' proponents is they simply state their case and invite Australians to make an informed decision that doesn't divide us.
Garry Robinson, Mannering Park
Men's soccer up next
ALBO will bring the men's soccer World Cup to Australia! Wait for that one.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
Winds of change
WITH blackout Bowen "rewiring the nation" with thousands of new transmission lines across eastern Australian he should heed a report from California which cited that arcing from power lines were the cause of six of the state's most destructive wildfires since 2015. No problems though as we will have plenty of power while the sun is up and the wind is not blowing too hard. Sorry about the loss of forests and houses though.
