John says trains between Hamilton and Newcastle should slow to a maximum speed of 15km/h, that the area between and beside the tracks be filled in, that the fences be removed and that people be free to walk across the tracks between the foreshore and Hunter St. Such a mixing of trams and people works all day every day in Sydney, John says, and he cites Hay St at the southern end of Chinatown as an example we'll all be familiar with. A train and a tram, John says, will have the same stopping power at 15km/h, and he imagines the braking distance would be about the same as that of a bus at that speed. And every day buses travel at speeds much higher than 15km/h along Hunter Street.

Level crossings at Railway St near Dairy Farmers Corner, at Stewart Ave and at Merewether St would be replaced by traffic lights, and approaching trains would trip the lights to green, allowing a green for road traffic at other times. John suggests joining the two halves of Steel St with lights at the tracks.

Pedestrian crossings, without lights, could be put across the tracks, but John sees no reason to bar pedestrians from crossing the tracks at any point, just as they do in some parts of Sydney.

So what's required? Removing the level crossings and installing lights, filling in the tracks, landscaping. What's not required? Millions of dollars for trams or light rail, new staff, perhaps new track, a transport interchange for train, bus and tram passengers.

Is there a better or cheaper way to rid Newcastle of its great, ugly barrier?