The present Liberal state government, now in its second term, has done a great job with upgrading long sections of the Princes Highway such as the Gerringong bypass and Berry bypass.

However, this expenditure on building safer roads was achieved with state government funding only.

As there is no rail line south of Bomaderry (Nowra), the only transport corridor on the South Coast is the Princes Highway so it should be a federally funded highway.

Most of this highway is one lane in each direction, with only a painted line on the road surface to separate oncoming traffic.

To reduce road fatalities effectively by preventing head-on crashes, it is essential to achieve urgent federal funding to upgrade the Princes Highway.

Regarding the Fix it Now campaign, I agree with all that has been said.

I think the lack of upgrades on the Princes Highway is appalling, especially when you drive south of Eden to Melbourne and every few kilometres there are overtaking lanes on the well-marked, well-signed and well-maintained roads in comparison to NSW, north of Eden. 

The lack of an alternate route from Eden to Shoalhaven leaves no option but to use the Princes Highway. 

Parents and carers are regularly travelling to Shoalhaven, Dalmeny, Dapto etc to attend various school and other representative sports as individuals or team members. 

On occasion a parent might be transporting up to four or more children from different families. 

This is a huge responsibility in itself, but more so on such a dangerous highway. 

The statistics have proven this and sadly continue to do so.

An angry ratepayer friend thought I’d been too temperate in my remarks about the Shaolin developments latest game changer (Letters, March 14). So, I’ve come back for another bite.

Since 2006, environmental and counter economic values took a back seat in the noisy promotion of Shaolin’s  pots of gold tourism project. The construction of a replica Shaolin Temple was to be its centrepiece. So, why so quiet about the newest hole in the project, a not-to-be temple?

And why when the Shaolin Temple Foundation (Aust.) Ltd secured its footprint on Jervis Bay hinterland for $250,000 down, the temple promise, and terms that got easier as time passed and due payments became promises, weren’t more questions asked?

In 2014, a public petition to the then NSW Minister for Planning, Pru Goward, asked that Shaolin’s financial bona fides be established before going any further with an assessment of what was being promoted. The public were advised that it was “not a relevant consideration when processing a development”. Perhaps it should be. Where was the realisation that a, supposed to be, $360 million development with a history of cheques-in-the-mail excuses might not turn out well?

The land is worth much more than Shaolin paid so why in 2015 did a majority of councillors vote away the city’s right to buy back Comberton Grange for its asking price of $5 million if the project went belly up. If you were counting on the main attraction, it already has.

To begin with the deal was signed for settlement in 2008. Now, 10 years on, with nothing on site and a new wish list, the Shaolin Project is asking for another 15 years to get things done. The Snowy Scheme took less time.