Police may see themselves as the aggrieved, warns letter writer COLLISS PARRETT, of Barton.

RECENTLY, I saw a brief TV clip of a body of US police walking in regiment formation towards a disturbance. One pedestrian was pushed to the ground by a baton without the cops missing a step.

What worries me greatly is that the police in the US may be beginning to see themselves as the aggrieved, with 147 dead in the line of duty in 2019, with few if any friends in politics and the courts and virtually none on the streets. 

This may or may not be a justified line of reasoning but I hate to think how many more injuries and deaths may occur – citizens and police – if it grips all police forces.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

North can keep the trams…

I AGREE with the views expressed by Jack Kershaw (Letters, CN, June 4). 

However, there is one sensible and desirable solution. Do NOT bring the tram across the lake! 

The northern suburbs are welcome to keep it for their own.

Daphne Harding, via email

Less ‘vibrancy’, more fun 

WHEN looking for more COVID-induced blessings, it turns out that less local barrow-pushing of “vibrant” and “vibrancy” has been a welcome relief for some.

That is despite the odd desperate developer still clinging to these “v” words when trying to offload poorly sited towers of small units with no quick and easy access to generous greenspaces, or having them re-emerge in the latest round of justifications from the National Capital Authority and the City Renewal Authority as they push on to bulldoze West Basin. 

Many, of all ages, will continue to discover and value stimulating and energetic pursuits outside the home, including at our spacious and well-run cultural institutions which are now re-opening. 

More Canberrans know now that much can be enjoyed without spending heaps of money, that is now in shorter supply for many anyway, and without having others jostling or breathing down their necks, or having to shout to be heard. 

Hopefully, new routines and opportunities will make it easier to avoid certain locations and minimise coming into contact with those who can’t wait to seek out the closeness of commercially-based, hard-surfaced “vibrancy”, which South Korea has shown can quickly lead to outbreaks of “herd” complacency and the virus.  

Sue Dyer, Downer

Rail speeds without high costs

THE Canberra-Sydney Rail Action Group (C-SRAG) supports a process which has become known as “Rail Renovation”, which recognises that the travel time of current train services between Canberra and Sydney is excessive and requires reduction to meet contemporary needs. 

The difficulty is largely due to the outmoded condition of track and other infrastructure, which is largely the same as when first constructed with minimal funding in the 1870s and barely sufficient for slower steam trains.

However, rather than hope to obtain massive funding to construct an expensive high-speed train, considerable improvement at much lesser expense could be achieved through track straightening and some rerouting, which would enable existing rolling stock to travel consistently at high speeds, rather than only in periodic bursts. Improvements could be implemented progressively, with funds prioritised with other public requirements.

Additional improvements to train speeds could also be obtained by utilising tilt train technology, successfully operating in Queensland. This has potential to reduce travel times by 25 per cent on existing tracks.

The C-SRAG aims to work collaboratively with Commonwealth, NSW and ACT governments, hoping that these long overdue improvements can be expeditiously achieved.

William J. Fraser, co-convenor, Canberra-Sydney Rail Action Group

So, where is Section 72?

WHY do journalists, politicians and others here in the ACT, always assume people know where a particular section is in a suburb. Example, Section 72, Dickson. For all I know they could be referring to a building. 

So, how about being more specific and providing definite location details. So, where is it?

Halina Zachara, Belconnen

EDITOR’S NOTE: Fair enough, Halina. Columnist Paul Costigan says Section 72, Dickson is located east of the Dickson Shopping Centre. The site, that includes the Dickson Pool, is bounded by Antill Street to the north, Sullivans Creek/the Dickson Drain to the south, Cowper Street to the west, and Hawdon Place to the east.