High-speed hype annoys commuters


CITY commuters from the Maidstone area are irritated by Southeastern’s continued publicity push for the high-speed trains into London. The train operator said that more than 7.2 million journeys had been made during the first year of the HS1 services. From Ashford, 66% of journeys are now


made on high-speed, followed by Canter- bury (67%), Folkestone (66%), Dover Priory (64%), Ramsgate (55%), Broadstairs (47%) and Strood (41%). Vince Lucas, Kent-based service delivery


DITTON woman Debbie Bark- bay won a cut and colour at the hairdresser's after taking a riverboat trip to town. She was among the hun-


dreds of shoppers who took advantage of the pre-Christ- mas Sail and Shop service on the Medway. The seasonal service, be-


tween the Malta Inn and Archbishop’s Palace, had been threatened with closure after Maidstone Council with- drew its support - until local firm, RAP Interiors, stepped in to sponsor the weekend


Youth centre set


to open its doors TEENAGERS at Ditton will soon be meeting at their own youth centre with work on the previ- ously semi-derelict building due to be finished in mid-February. Community warden John Newton is delighted with progress on transforming the site at Kiln Barn Road which began just before Christmas. The £50,000 project will pro-


vide a hub for 11-19-year-olds and will be open each evening. Mr Newton, who has been


heavily involved in the project, said: “I asked youths what they wanted and they just said ‘some- where to go’.” With work on the roof and


walls almost complete, a public meeting had been called to get a committee together to manage the centre, which will be run by youth workers, backed by vol- unteers. Ditton Parish Council dipped


into its reserves to finance the scheme after it was found that the Cedar Room – an annex of Ditton Community Centre - would have to be demolished if it was not repaired.


director, said: “Most of our peak services are almost full. “We have over half a million passengers every month and it’s building.” But rail user groups’ Maidstone and Malling branches are not impressed. Felipe Alviar-Baquero, spokesman for the Malling association, said: “The high-speed service does not go to the City and anyone from the local area has to drive for a signif- icant time and pay extremely high parking costs to use it.” He added: “It is just frustrating because we are not against the high-speed service.


Debbie sails off with first prize


trips aboard the Kentish Lady. The name of each passenger


was entered into a weekly draw and Debbie, of Station Road, was first to win a prize, courtesy of Lucas hair salon in West Malling. RAP director Julie Ander-


son said heavy snow hit week two of the service, so the draw was combined with week three. The prize - two tickets to Maidstone's Comedy Club and a family ticket for the Kentish Lady - was won by Liz Wells, of The Avenue, Aylesford.


AN INQUEST verdict of acci- dental death was recorded on 19-year-old student Ben Eason, of Imperial Close, Kings Hill, who died in a crash last April. The hearing at Gravesend was told that it appeared he was not wearing a seatbelt when his friend James Haley, now 20, lost control of the Citroen Saxo on the way to a party with three


THE MALLING School at East Malling will be the venue for the original stage show of a pi- rate-themed comedy called “The Voyage of Javier Ramirez” on Thursday, February 17. This will be the second “world premiere” performance from the school’s Unit Radio club, following last year’s suc- cess with “Stardusters”. Unit Radio was set up in 2008


by Giles Whitehead, a teacher at the school’s Tydeman Centre – a speech, language and autism unit. It encourages special needs students to make audio dramas, enabling them to excel


MAIDSTONE Council paid £84,000 at auc- tion for an eight-acre plot on Bluebell Hill that it may use as a Park and Ride site . The wedge of land – between the A229


and the high-speed rail line – is located ei- ther side of the petrol station, on the Maid- stone-bound side of the dual carriageway. John Foster, the council's economic de- velopment manager, agreed that developing it as a P&R site was one of the options. Lib Dem opposition leader Cllr FranWil- son was "delighted" the land had been


6 Malling


What we do not understand is why all the other services to the City have been can- celled and trains shortened.” The direct links from Maidstone (viaWest


Malling) to Cannon Street, Charing Cross and London Bridge were axed in December 2009. But Sir John Stanley, MP for Tonbridge


and Malling, has had some encouraging news. He said: “I have received a written re- sponse to our very strong representations for the restoration of the City services on the Maidstone East line.


“The minister’s reply pro-


vides a ray of hope that vitally- needed services may be restored.” Sir John said he hoped improvements could be in place for the May 2011 timetable. A Southeastern spokesman


said the company would work with whatever specifications the Government gave them, adding: “It’s out of our hands.”


Hunt for hoodie who attacked


Winner Debbie Barkbay, cen- tre, with salon owner Annie Lucas, right, and RAP director Julie Anderson, left.


Accident verdict on student’s death


other passengers at about 3am. Haley, of Borough Green, pre- viously admitted causing death by driving without due care on the A227 at Vigo and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and banned from driving for three


years. He was also ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work and pay £85 costs.


Ahoy, there, it’s our latest show


in language without being hin- dered by pen or paper. Following last year’s show,


Tonbridge and Malling MP Sir John Stanley wrote to the then Education Secretary Ed Balls, bringing the school’s work to his attention. The project was also made a case study by the Autism Education Trust. Everyone is welcome to enjoy


this year’s live stage show, which follows the antics of a motley pirate crew as they sail in search of world peace, treas- ure, parrots and a perfect cup of tea. Tickets are free and avail- able on the door.


bought but “sad” that the council had paid so much. The guide price in the Lambert & Foster auction brochure was £40,000- 50,000. The Lib Dems had wanted to buy the site when they were in power four years ago when the price was “reasonable”. Mr Foster said it would have been a "missed opportunity" not to have bought the Veitch Land, off Chatham Old Road, previ- ously used as a base for High Speed 1 con- struction works. He added: “If there is a desire – and we


teenage girl DETECTIVES are hunting a hooded man who assaulted a 14-year-old girl at East Malling. The teenager told police she


was walking down an alley be- tween Carnation Close and the A20, London Road, near Tesco Express when she was followed by a man. He grabbed her, touched her inappropriately and threatened her before driv- ing away in an old car parked nearby. The girl was not in- jured. The man, who was in his 20s,


was wearing a dark hooded top and dark tracksuit bottoms. Officers would like to hear


from anyone who remembers seeing a man of this description hanging around in East Malling on the evening of Wednesday, December 22, when the inci- dent happened, or who has in- formation about it. Det Con Stuart Tracy said:


“This incident acts as an op- portunity to remind people, particularly women and girls, to think about personal safety. “If you have to walk alone try


to stay in busy, well-lit areas. If you are a parent, perhaps take this opportunity to discuss safety advice with your chil- dren.”


Anyone with information should contact 01732 379217 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.


Council buys land for possible new Park and Ride site


find a need – we have the means to imple- ment something like a park and ride, but don't expect it any time soon. “It was an opportunity we felt we needed


to grasp. But, in terms of long-term strategy, it still needs to be worked out.” Overall, P&R costs Maidstone about


£400,000 a year. Users park free but buy a ticket to get a bus into and out of the town centre, thus easing congestion. As a result, 2,700 fewer vehicle movements are made into town every day.


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