We need a top department store and new fashion label outlets to replace Myer, and if they can be attracted they could open in a marquee and would still pull in shoppers regardless of what Summer Street looked like.

Developers of the old Myer site have scrapped the proposed Harris Scarfe department store and plan a food court, something Orange really doesn’t need.

What we want is for top brands like Cue, Esprit, Country Road, Jag and Guess – who were all in Myer – to open their own stores in the new building rather than having a choice of dining on dumplings, Asian noodles, sushi and KFC or Maccas under a single roof.

There’s also a long-shot opportunity for Orange to chase British retailer Debenhams that has a store in Melbourne. South African operator Pepkor has a 15-year franchise agreement with the 240-year-old British retailer and plans to open 10 more stand-alone Debenham stores.

So if Orange people want designer brands we can only hope the council takes up the challenge to chase some of them and get the CBD rocking again.

IT’S not often a politician comes out in support of car enthusiasts but Senator David Leyonhjelm has done exactly that.

Senator Leyonhjelm, who plans to leave the Senate and stand for a seat in the NSW Parliament for the Liberal Democrats, said car enthusiasts are typically ignored by major parties and have to put up with mostly arbitrary and unnecessary government restrictions and charges.

He said the Liberal Democrats believe it shouldn’t be the business of the government if enthusiasts modify their vehicles unless there’s a risk to others.

Rules could be significantly relaxed, particularly around wheels and body lowering. And he said his party will seek to review legislation and procedures to ensure police don’t harass drivers of modified cars.

Senator Leyonhjelm also said the Liberal Democrats support raising speed limits on highways and freeways because vehicles are safer, but it’s a cop-out when poor maintenance of roads often leads to a reduction in speed limits as surfaces deteriorate.

Cargo Road is one where 70km/h and 80km/h limits have been imposed because of the condition of the road, as well as a straight stretch of Burrendong Way south of the Northern Distributor Road that was reduced from 70km/h to 50km/h. The Mitchell Highway limit near Chinamans Bend where the distributor joins was reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h.

But there’s a well-supported theory that suggests higher speed limits can actually reduce accidents. Drivers normally travel at a speed that feels safe and comfortable depending on road and weather conditions regardless of the posted speed.

So a speed limit that’s below this comfortable rate means drivers sticking to a slower limit can disrupt the flow of traffic that’s found its own pace, and if you’re driving slower than the other cars, you might be the one posing the safety risk. When motorists are all generally going at the same speed it’s a safer corridor.

And not too many drivers stick to the 70km/h and 80km/h limits on the Northern Distributor Road, or Cargo Road for that matter.