It’s concerning the prolific potholes along city and rural roads are becoming enduring risks.

Placing solar tea lights or glow sticks in road cavities would ensure a twofold outcome: a warning of nigh hazards and festive acknowledgement of pothole birthdays.

Beverley Waring, Hansonville

An ode to blame shifting over fuel crisis

There was movement at the station

(the petrol station)

as the fuel price begin to rise.

Along with political opportunism,

that is no surprise.

But never fear with politics,

no matter what the side.

Be it left or right there is deceit

you can always count on lies.

There is some fuel safeguard,

strangely stored in the USA.

But apparently we sold it!

Oh, we long for better days.

Trump said it was raining

most folk took a look,

politicians picked up their umbrellas

and joined up with the crooks.

Luke R Davies, Wangaratta

Ditch the car to preserve critical farming fuel

Victorian farmers are urging commuters to consider swapping their car for public transport and the government to make public transport free, with the potential fuel savings helping ensure farmers can keep planting, harvesting and producing food as our fuel crisis lingers.

Fuel shortages affect rural communities very differently to metropolitan households, where farming operations rely solely on critical fuel to grow their products.

For most Victorians, a fuel shortage means cancelled plans, longer queues and a tighter weekly budget.

For farmers, timing is everything.

Farming runs on narrow weather windows, and if the tank is empty at the wrong moment you can’t just wait for prices to settle, you lose the opportunity, and sometimes the entire crop.

Keeping farmers moving is in everyone’s interest.

Victorian farmers grow almost a quarter of Australia’s food and feed millions more across the globe.

Small changes in commuting behaviour across Melbourne could make a meaningful difference.

If just one in five Victorian car commuters shifted to public transport, the fuel saved would be enough to plant roughly half of Australia’s wheat, barley, canola and lentil crop.

A little would go a long way.

Even taking one or two trips a week on the train, tram or bus instead of driving can leave more fuel in the system for the jobs that keep supermarket shelves stocked.

To encourage the switch in commuting behaviour, the VFF is calling on the Victorian government to:

• Make public transport free across Victoria until supply stabilises. Fare-free public transport makes it easier for households to choose trains, trams and buses over cars, particularly when living costs are high.

• Run more services, more often, especially at peak times. Free transport only works if the system can absorb extra passengers safely and comfortably. Add services, increase frequency and expand capacity.

When the dust settles, the government needs to take a good hard look at the numerous warnings they’ve ignored that’s left us in this predicament.

For now, we’re asking for a helping hand to grow the food and make sure it gets to where it needs to go.

Those wishing to register their support for farmers can visit https://www.vff.org.au/paddock-to-plate-fuel-crisis/ and we’ll make sure the government knows that Victorians have stepped up during this crisis.

Brett Hosking, Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president