YOUR SAY: Long wait for upgrade of Heathcote Road

It's simple to understand why there has been no Heathcote Road upgrade - there is nowhere to build apartments. No "value capture". The only "value capture" is saving lives. If he can't convince his government to do the right thing, what hope do we have after nine years?

Perhaps he's waiting for the shiny new F6 to carve through the Royal National Park, so we forget about all the broken promises on Heathcote Road.

Dominique Passmore, Heathcote East

Mr Lee Evans Should be campaigning for an extra two-lane bridge to be built on the Dam side (Up River) side of the existing bridge via blasting of the existing cliff face and creating a diversion road for the worksite.

This would result in minimal disruption for existing traffic and works in progress and would be cheaper traffic control and easier to build with regard to access to the worksite for contractors.

So how about it Mr Evans, can we now campaign for another duel lane bridge next to the existing over the Woronora River.

Phillip Wilding, Oyster Bay

Cyclists do ring their bells! As do I on my mobility scooter. The problem is that most pedestrians are blind and deaf because they walk along with earphones in their ears and their eyes on the screen of their mobile phones. I have had pedestrians walk straight into the front of my scooter, despite my flashing light and bell. I now intend to install a fire brigade siren on my scooter. I wonder if they will hear it.

John Willis, Miranda

Every day there is confusion with cars turning left from Port Hacking Road south onto the Kingsway. I have seen many near misses.

Many cars on the outside lane near the kerb with the straight line arrow turn left but then proceed to go into the lane on the Kingsway which forces the curved arrow lane cars to take the far lane on the Kingsway.

What is the rule? Who is at fault if there is an accident? There are two arrows, both pointing left, one is curved and the other a straight line arrow.

Also, because of the red arrow for pedestrians at this intersection, a lot of cars going straight do not wait but go in the middle lane with the arrow pointing left. Are they at fault by doing this?

Dolly, Caringbah

I would firstly like to commend all public transport workers for continuing to work hard during these uncertain times. However, due to recently moving back into the shire, I am now a regular bus commuter. Although there are some mild annoyances about travelling on the bus, it has been an all-round tolerable and sometimes enjoyable experience.

On Friday May 29, the M92 bus route was running considerably late, in fact, almost 20 minutes. As I was travelling from Padstow to Miranda, I would have to change buses at Sutherland. This would usually be a simple five-minute change, at around 3:40pm. Although originally 20 minutes late, this bus driver made up 10 minutes. My connecting bus (the 962) was ahead, so I asked the female bus driver if she could call ahead to the 962 and ask it to wait for me to board, she agreed and made the radio call. Unfortunately, as I left the bus, I forgot to thank her, because I successfully made the 962 and avoided a further 20-minute wait. I hope the bus driver or Transdev can read this as I would like to thank you a million!

David McCafferty, Miranda

Over the years, I have taken my pre-school grandchildren to the Camellia Gardens to see the ducks, play on the swings and walk through the beautifully manicured gardens. I was horrified when we visited this week at the degradation that has occurred because of the flying foxes. On entering you can hear their squeal from the trees. There were far more than I could believe, hundreds, and to make matters worse, there were only two white ducks there. What is going on that we have let this beautiful place be overcome like that? It is a disgrace.

Maree Jones, Caringbah

I wonder if the environmental impact study that was used to approve longwall coal mining under Woronora Dam started at the approval end and then worked backwards to justify that decision.

If the investigation had started at the cracked and dry beds of the creeks that used to flow into Woronora Dam before mining underneath them was approved, then surely it would not have proceeded past that point. And if the study was completed before the creeks disappeared, then it was obviously flawed and any approvals based on the findings should be immediately rescinded. The security of our water supply must outweigh any compensation that may arise from the cancellation of mining approvals.

Eric Watts, Lilli Pilli

Rio Tinto recently destroyed an irreplaceable 46,000-year-old Aboriginal heritage site in the Hamersley Ranges. Tahmoor Colliery has damaged and polluted two creeks around the Picton. And yet the government continues to give its approval for mining to continue there.

In the shire we are prohibited from entering our local catchment areas but the mining giants are given permission, even though mining has caused considerable damage to creeks, with some groundwater levels not recovering. Filtering swamps which help keep our water clean are drying out; pristine tributary water has turned orange and become contaminated. Not content to mine around the reservoir, Peabody Energy now wants to do potentially destructive longwall mining UNDER Woronora Dam! The word 'greed' comes to mind.

Woronora Dam supplies 100 per cent of drinking water to Helensburgh, Waterfall, Heathcote and Engadine. Concerned residents have submitted a petition to parliament with 10,700 signatures. What more can we do? Over to you, State Government.

L and S Henderson, Heathcote