My understanding is that the intersection where the turning lane is being built has had a significant increase in pedestrian traffic due to the council's administration moving to their new office nearby. The more people crossing the road, the longer the car waits, thereby blocking a busy through lane.

Stewart Avenue and City Road, which is the Pacific Highway, as we all know form the gateway in, out and across the city centre of Newcastle. We all know how busy it is from the dysfunctional intersection of Scenic Drive and City Road (which is in the seat of Charlestown) through to King Street. In most cases the road reduces to one lane as cars are turning left and right, which of course slows and blocks traffic. It is the only section of the Pacific Highway from Swansea to Hexham that does so.

You would think that our lord mayor and the members for Charlestown and Newcastle would be working with RMS for further upgrades rather than fighting to stop work.

In the 1980s the council had foresight and closed Parry, Warrah, Hebburn and Corona streets at Stewart Avenue, which improved traffic flow and created better amenity for the residents. I believe it's long overdue for a fifth centre lane to be constructed on Stewart Avenue, more road closures, the widening of City Road and lights at Scenic Drive as a priority.

I would like to know what our Labor team plans to offer up rather than just stop work.

WELL done, you selfish bastards, I have been self isolating for six months, doing the right thing and yet without care or thought you continue to party on.

What are you thinking? It can come to you quicker than the isolators and to be honest it serves you right. When is this penny-pinching premier going to pull the pin and shut this state down? And while she is doing that, she should suggest to the Queensland premier to move the border north to Port Douglas. Fair dinkum, when are all Australians going to get their priorities in the correct box and realise that we are in big trouble? It says in your bible that plague and pestilence will end the world and the way that the human race are conducting themselves gives those who care a lot to ponder.

For our sake, shut the state down yesterday. Lift the transgression fines to $10,000, make it a criminal offence to mass gather and horde essential items, fine supermarkets for allowing mass purchasers and then, just maybe, we might get through this.

I WAS amused by the defiant stance of our lord mayor and deputy under a fig tree on Stewart Avenue ('Council tries to rescue figs', Herald 15/7. They seem to indicate that RMS has sprung this work on the Council with three days notice, but the council knew about this widening of Stewart Avenue many years ago. In fact, the council planted trees to the east of the those due to be removed over five years ago. RMS never does anything on the spur of the moment. They plan sometimes 50 years ahead.

Perhaps present councillors are a bit young to remember the hoo-ha that occurred in the early 1970s when King Street was connected with Parry Street through the middle of Birdwood Park. Protesters chained themselves to bulldozers brought in to carry out this work. But (as usual) the then RTA prevailed and proceeded with the work, and thank heavens they did. Can you imagine westbound traffic on King Street under the old conditions that used to be a nightmare?

It will be interesting to learn the outcome of the RMS plan this time around.

I AM writing to express my appreciation to everyone who supported The Smith Family's 2020 Winter Appeal.

At a time when Australians have been challenged like never before, we have been humbled and inspired by tremendous generosity. Our charity supports the educational achievement of children in need as a practical pathway out of poverty. The donations we received for our Winter Appeal will mean our vital out-of-school learning and mentoring programs can now be delivered to thousands more students living in disadvantage.

The public's help could not have come at a better time. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, there was strong evidence that disadvantaged students were falling behind at school through not having the same learning opportunities as their more advantaged classmates. At age 15, the gap is equivalent to around three years of schooling.

In recent weeks, the Grattan Institute has confirmed that disadvantaged children, who were already falling behind before the crisis, will have slipped further back. It's hard to stay on top of your learning when you don't have essential resources for home schooling such as a computer, internet access, textbooks and stationery. These children will need extra support to catch up.

With the donations received, The Smith Family will provide additional educational support for over 16,000 children and young people during terms 3 and 4. These include our home-based programs boosting the reading skills of children, mentoring support, and our after-school Learning Clubs, helping children to increase their literacy and numeracy skills.

The Smith Family exists to change children's lives through supporting their education. To do this, we rely on the generous support of thousands of Australians. To everyone who offered a hand up to support a child in need through our Appeal, please accept my grateful thanks.

GREG Hunt (Letters, Letters, 17/7), in 1896 a Swedish scientist observed that massive burning of fossil fuel would change the atmosphere. It was not 'scare-mongering' then and it is not now. 120 years later the reality of climate change is not really up for 'debate'.

In spite of this, some individuals, such as Michael Shellenberger, like to write and sell books, and seek publicity for them. Others, like perhaps Clive Palmer, simply want to sell fossil fuels and buy influence to continue digging. So it is no wonder some individuals find it hard to accept that an invisible gas can be so harmful. Coronavirus, however, teaches us that what you can't see can still really hurt you.

Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name, suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words and Short Takes fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.

NEWCASTLE Greens councillor John Mackenzie wants to remove the plaques in Civic Park as in his view they are offensive ('Bye bye, captain', Newcastle Herald 21/7). He is of course entitled to his opinion. If I am also entitled to an opinion, Mr Mackenzie is offensive and he too should be removed.

WHAT next, Cr Mackenzie? Do we have to change names of Blackbutt, Blacksmiths, Cooktown or anything else that you think is offensive?

LORETTA Paolucci (Short Takes, 14/7) I'm right in there with you. Where did this aberration, Newy, come from? Its use makes my blood boil to such a point that I won't buy from businesses that use that word in their advertising, nor will I vote for aspiring politicians who use it in their pre-election blurbs.Petty? Sure, but I reckon its use in the first place is a childish, lazy insult to our city's proper name. So there.

I HAVE noticed that social distancing has made the Sydney rugby league crowds less embarrassing. Lol.

WITH the approval of the Brandy Hill quarry extension ('Quarry extension approved', Herald 18/7) and our state government's oversight of record land clearing, I can only assume they want koalas killed off and out of the way of more important things like gravel. Surely there are other places to mine rocks than already stressed koala habitat. This, only a week after being told that unless we wake up koalas will be extinct by 2050. Come on; we have to be better.

IF you ask me, the Queensland border should be moved south to Hornsby.

IT was comforting to read on Monday that HCCDC (Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation) has "no current plans" to demolish Wickham School of Arts ('Building safe for now', Herald 20/7). The building has been on the council's local environment plan heritage schedule for decades, like the vast majority of Newcastle's heritage buildings with alleged statutory protection. It should be retained and adaptively recycled. I believe the comment betrays the overweening arrogance of a property developer, in this case an all-powerful state government one, running Newcastle CBD's "revitalisation", and doing as it pleases.

WHILE I hate to kick a Yank when he or she is down, I think a sign recently seen in the UK is apt: "All Americans must be accompanied by a responsible adult".

UNFORTUNATELY David Rose did not read my letter re the film Planet of the Humans. I said it is a very interesting film, nothing more or less. I did not need a lecture.