As the Autumn days get shorter and shorter and night falls a little earlier each day foolish cyclists continue on our streets with no lights, usually with no helmet, and just about always in dark clothing.

It's a potentially deadly situation that requires serious and ongoing attention.

It's not a matter of issuing penalties; it's a matter of saving people from themselves and saving the jangled nerves of motorists who are all too regularly having close encounters of the most unwelcome kind.

Having a vague dark shadow emerge in front of you will test the most alert driver.

Until the pedal cyclists wake up then enforcement of the regulations is the only way forward.

ONCE again Ironfest has done Lithgow proud and showcased our city to thousands of visitors. It also again stirs our amazement at the massive task of pulling such a huge and diverse program together to go off with a well timed bang. In fact several bangs.

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There was something for everyone - military historians across the ages, escapees from Mad Max, foodies, car buffs, music lovers, Steampunks, artisans, robots and, most of all, the extroverts who are themselves the main attraction.

Mayor Thommo, lurking beneath a wizard's cape, commented to the column that just the opportunity to enjoy the NSW Fire and Rescue band and its jazz group offshoots was worth the price of admission. Again it was perhaps the nation's biggest fancy dress party.

OVER the Easter break the column encountered visitors from far and wide at the Bowenfels gun emplacements, surely inland Australia's most unique heritage attraction. One family from Ballina was particularly excited and surprised at finding this wartime history in Lithgow. It is unique and it is important to the Lithgow story but (here insert Council alert) some urgent weed eradication is needed before the blackberries creeping over the gun pits achieve what the Japanese bombers could never do.

ON the issue of urgent needs you can include the only shelter shed on Lithgow's Glanmire Oval it is literally falling apart through neglect.

The seating is completely gone, perhaps for firewood it has been suggested, and fascia boards around the roof line are missing. Rough comfort for sporting bodies or anyone seeking a rest along the new Farmers Creek walk and cycle path.

IS there anyone to really take responsibility for very obvious problems around Lithgow? Two old mattresses were dumped on the footpath in James Street a couple of months ago.

One has recently disappeared but the other was still there at the weekend rotting away in full view of the hordes passing there on the way to Ironfest. Not a pretty sight and just not good enough.