According to Police, the vehicle involved in the Christmas tragedy was on the wrong side when it encountered a Rural Fire Service truck with fatal consequences for the two car passengers. Surely it's time for a central stressed wire barrier such as installed to avoid conflict on known black spot sections of the Great Western between Mt Lambie and Yetholme. It's needed now, not some time.

EVERY cloud, optimists say, has a silver lining some say, and even our deadly virus wreaking havoc is a ready made silver lining for opposition political parties (including that odd couple in Queensland) and they're playing it for all it's worth. Just sit back and endlessly repeat criticism of government 'failures' in dealing with a lately unprecedented crisis while enjoying the luxury of not having to declare how they'd do it better and while having nothing better on their policy agenda.

THE now familiar deathly quiet around Lithgow on New Years Eve brought back fond memories for many of the era when both Christmas and New Years Eve were times of joyful, if well lubricated, celebration in our clubs and pubs and in the street. In fact someone had to draw the short straw to have the mission to go very early to reserve a table at packed dances at the RSL or Golf Club. Police and Council collaborated in closing off a mid section of Main Street so that revellers could stagger freely and safely between pubs. These days it seems those revellers don't see much to celebrate and the welcome to 2022 was notably muted. Even the popular Lake Wallace fireworks fell victim again to the pandemic worries.

RAILWAY people are usually quick off the mark rectifying anything amiss along, beside or above their corridor. So we wonder at the delay in doing anything about the significant damage incurred by the fence along the Bridge Street railway bridge above Eskbank Station. Something shunted the fence well before Christmas and even the damage isn't posing any immediate threat it's certainly not a good look.