I APPLAUD council's concept of a cycle way from Newcastle to Merewether. What puzzles me is the proposed route of an eastern branch from the southern end of Watkins Street along Coane Street joining John Parade. I propose Berner Street as a better option to deliver cyclists safely to both Dixon Park and Merewether Beach.

I presume the concept is to create a loop back to Watkins Street at its terminus. Routing the path along Coane will move cyclists across John Parade at its midpoint, potentially impeding cars moving south to north and delivering them to a path shared with pedestrians if they choose to head north to Dixon Park or along the existing north to south cycle path if heading towards Merewether Beach.

The first option would be potentially hazardous at peak times. Whereas branching from Watkins east along Berner Street would deliver cyclists direct to Dixon Park. Potentially they could cross the Ocean/Berner St Junction then traverse the southern boundary of Dixon Park towards the beach. They could then use the existing pedestrian refuge at the Dixon car park roundabout and link direct to the existing north to south cycle path enjoying the vista along the entire length of John Parade safely to Merewether Beach.

MILTON Caine (Letters, 18/12) about the excess paid for damaging the car in front when a string of cars have collided. Mr Caine argues that the one car that initiated the first crash should have to pay all the damage to all the other cars. Unfortunately, he is forgetting about road rule 126 (do not tailgate). But I do not blame Milton; the police have forgotten about it as well, as it is not enforced.

NSW Road rule 126 (Keeping a safe distance behind vehicles): "To reduce the risk of driving into the rear of a vehicle, the three-second crash avoidance space is essential, as the vehicle in front has the potential to stop very quickly if it collides with another vehicle or stationary object."

So you drive assuming the car in front will possibly do an emergency stop. This is the government's interpretation of the rule and their recommendation for low risk driving. Just because almost all car trips end up with no crashes does not mean people have driven low risk. It just means the car in front did not do an emergency stop, needing a three-second safety gap. It is sad that 99 per cent of motorists only leave a one or two-second safety gap. Do the easy research yourself. Time when the car following a car passes the same point. Eighty metres after a red light the traffic is free flowing and doing the speed limit.

BARBARA Ferris (Letters, 28/12) it looks like you wish to have your cake and eat it too. You talk up the supposed success of the so-called Newcastle Solution, but also claim that Newcastle's late night violence is now 20 times the state average. If this claim is true, then this method simply cannot be classified as a success.

Rather than hedging your bets, I implore you to consider the fact that while night time violence dropped by 40 to 70 per cent across NSW after the introduction of the lockout laws, attendance to pubs and clubs also dropped by up to 84 per cent. Please also take into consideration that the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics director Don Weatherburn brought the apparent grand accomplishments of the lockout laws into question in 2016 for the use of "misleading figures" and "dodgy data". Independent auditors in Melbourne also determined that the laws made problems there worse, thus their lockouts were scrapped within a mere three months. I also do not agree that the restrictions are modest, seeing as though the lockout laws have resulted in the closure of hundreds of venues, as well as the loss of thousands of jobs.

THE conversion of the coal mine at Fassifern to a hydro pump power station ('Pumping life into old mine', Herald 22/12) has my attention, especially since millions of dollars are being spent just to study the possibility.

Considering hydro pump requires a huge water storage a reasonable distance uphill , where is the proposed water storage uphill from Fassifern? There is a huge hollow opposite that could be filled with water if it doesn't stop raining for six months, but it is lower than the surrounding landscape where the power station would be built .

There are the Watagan mountains nearby , but no valleys capable of storing water. Even if there was, what about the trees that are a protected national rain forest and also absorb carbon dioxide?

At times I tend to think some people are supplying themselves with work by suggesting they do various studies, but more alarming are those in government who put up the money without first looking at the situation and using a bit of common sense. Surely professional engineers are consulted before approving such matters, even if only a study.

A PARTICULARLY irksome theme for Michael Hinchey (Letters, 31/12) on the letters page is correspondents who habitually target the motives of those with whom they disagree rather than their arguments. In my opinion this is a bit rich coming from one who says I don't like progressive opinions and just use religion to put issues beyond rational discussion (Letters, 7/10). Conservatives, he suggests, avoid substance by smearing integrity. In other words, they play the man and not the ball. I believe Mr Hinchey should practise what he preaches.

Just last month (Letters, 6/11) he accused Trump apologists of having "No grace, no courage, no integrity, no principles" and being non-caring, like passive, non-caring supporters of the Morrison government. It even became logical for Mr Hinchey to assume Trump supporters are people of questionable character. Last January (letters, 25/1), Mr Hinchey likened climate change deniers to those who conspire with the enemy in wartime, and called on media outlets to censor opinion about climate change. Taking Mr Hinchey at face value, I think he gives grounds for saying proponents of left-leaning views lecture from the high moral ground and think they have a monopoly on the truth, not to mention virtue.

IN reply to Adam Walton (Letters, 28/12), I live with my delightful Daisy who reigns supreme in my home. This feline treasure always welcomes visitors with loud purrs and I'm certain as she ages (10) she becomes more human. If she pines for the outdoors she has never shown a desire for any other life. It's a sad situation that many others do not share my sentiments.

IF you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of them all of it, someone like me might then ascertain, for the most part, most of them you can.

I RESPECT the views of Sarah Taylor, Meegan McHugh and Abbey Egan (Short Takes, 30/12) however, throughout the debate no survey has asked for my view. Do we actually have a representative and credible survey when figures of 80 per cent, 72 per cent and "most NSW residents" are used to call for reform? Perhaps it's time for a plebiscite where everyone can let their wishes be known.

CARL Robinson has come in and now left with three, now maybe four Jets players. Gee, thanks.

INTERESTING the Liddell and Bayswater Power stations articles ('Liddell problem', Herald 28/12) never mention the state of the place for the people who actually work there trying to keep an archaic volatile system going or the severe injuries sustained recently ('Liddell employee: 'I'm lucky'', Herald 21/12).

I WITNESSED people trying to get past the COVID marshal at the pub. This family were from a suburb that is on the list of restricted areas in Sydney. Dominic, who was the marshal, turned them away then told me it wasn't the first. Why are these people here? Sack Gladys and put Dominic in charge. He should get double pay; all day he's busting his guts under pressure.

HOW marvelous is the driverless bus that has been criticised because it slows up traffic ('Keolis finds bus safe but 'overly cautious', Newcastle Herald 30/12). I am more concerned that it cost $571,000 to accommodate 680 passengers for a trip of 400 metres. That's $840 per trip. It is possible to get a return trip to Perth for less than that.

I HAVE finally found something good to come out of the COVID crisis: Steve Smith has not spat on his hands while fielding. If I was involved when he was doing it, I would rather not want to shake his hand after the game.