Town to ‘steal’ train slots High-speed gets
THE campaign to improve Maidstone and Malling’s train links with London is set for a shot in the arm. Kent County Council is committed to pushing
for improved rail services between the County Town and the City. Maidstone councillorMalcolm Robertson, who
is also a county council member, said KCC has adopted a firm policy on the issue in its recently published Kent Rail Action Plan. The County Town, which lost its direct Cannon
Street and Charing Cross trains in late 2009, will not be part of the full-blown Thameslink service until 2018. Southeastern’s franchise is up for re- newal in 2014. Cllr Robertson said KCC aims to have a long-term influence over what happens then, to bridge the four-year gap from 2014-18. One suggestion is that a “pathway” – or route –
could be taken away from Sevenoaks and given to Maidstone. Pathways are analogous to aircraft take-off and landing ‘slots’. They are limited in number, especially at peak times.
mixed reception THE director of the Invicta Chamber of Commerce, John Taylor, has his doubts about the new high-speed service fromMaidstoneWest. Launched onMay 23, it
The first high-speed service to London draws into MaidstoneWest station.
Cllr Robertson told the Downs Mail: “The in- tention is to strongly influence the letting of the next rail franchise in 2014. The aim with the Sevenoaks slots – which would be a complete set throughout the day – is to fill the gap before Maid- stone gets on the Thameslink service network when trains from Maidstone East would go to the new Blackfriars station then on to Bedford via St Pancras.” He added: “It is really good news that KCC is getting actively involved in trying to shape the form of the next rail franchise and to seek some fairness for Maidstone in the distribution of rail services. “They assure me they will ‘stick to their guns’
on this and will lobby the Government hard. They have the support of local MPs, including Sir John Stanley and Helen Grant. “West Malling and Kings Hill are very keen on
Cllr Malcolm Robertson behind the controls of a high-speed train.
A CAR park texting system is proving popular with users of Maidstone’s new high-speed train service. Commuters can park all day
for the same price as a four-hour stay by texting their vehicle reg- istration and rail ticket numbers to a Maidstone Council number. The cheaper system operates
on the 100-space council- run car park in Barker Road -
a restored City service as well as Maidstone, and Ashford would support it as well.”
Text message for a high-speed parking deal
opposite the law courts, not far from Maidstone West station, from where the high-speed train departs three times each week- day morning. It costs £2.70 compared to £5 at the station. Cllr Malcolm Robertson, who
is the borough’s “rail cham- pion”, told the Downs Mail re- cently that it was vital the council did what it could to en- courage usage of the 47-minute
Danger time looms for Maidstone patients
A WARNING that ‘danger time’ is looming for Maidstone patients was given at the annual meet- ing of Maidstone Action for Services in Hospital (MASH) by re-elected chairman Dennis Fowle. He said consultant-led maternity and in-patient children’s services were due to switch from Maid- stone Hospital to the new Pembury Hospital in September, some 20, often difficult, miles away. He said he was sad to make these forecasts: Related deaths and brain damaged babies due
to birth delays. Dramatic incidents on the inadequate roads
to Pembury causing deep concerns for Maidstone patients, especially worried women in labour and their husbands/partners facing journey times of an hour or more. Decreasing support from patients’ families
and friends due to distance, poor public transport and costs, especially amongMaidstone’s many se- riously deprived residents. A rising outcry when the full reality hits home, especially from parents as the children’s ward and special care baby unit close and they ex- perience the inadequacies of what is left in Maid- stone – a day-care unit operating 8am-8pm Mondays to Fridays.
14 Malling Priory concert helps first aid charity
ST John Ambulance’s Maidstone divi- sion hosted its first ‘Being the Differ- ence’ concert at St Joseph’s Chapel, Aylesford Priory. The audience was treated to a musi-
cal feast from the Kingfisher Singers (pictured), who performed a variety of songs and delighted the audience with their witty poetry readings. The evening in aid of the first aid charity raised more than £200 for its
Maidstone division. Since the beginning of 2011 over
5,000 people in Kent have undertaken first aid training and the charity is en- couraging people – young and old – to take up the challenge to learn skills that can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved. For more information on St John Ambulance Kent, contact 01732 874446.
You can e-mail the Downs Mail —
info@downsmail.co.uk
train to London St Pancras, oth- erwise the town might lose it. The discounted parking, ex- clusive to high-speed passen- gers, involves displaying the four-hour parking ticket as nor- mal in your windscreen, buying your rail ticket from Southeast- ern and registering for all-day parking by texting your car reg and rail ticket numbers to 07717 665627.
takes 47 minutes to St Pan- cras, stopping at Strood, Gravesend and Stratford. Mr Taylor, whose chamber covers Maidstone and other mid Kent towns, said: “I am sceptical about running a service solely into St Pan- cras, I would much rather see it running directly into the City. “The question is whether a service into the City is going to be, in the future, the real service that is going to at- tract businesses into Maid- stone,” he added. But Vince Lucas, South- eastern’s service delivery di- rector, said: “I live just outsideMaidstone myself (Kingswood, near Ulcombe) and I’m pretty confident this will work.” The three morning depar-
tures from MaidstoneWest are at 0656, 0726 and 0756. The return journeys leave St Pancras International at 1714, 1744 and 1814.
MP criticises
stopping services MAIDSTONE MP Helen Grant has voiced her opposi- tion to additional stops on the service to London Victo- ria.
She feels extra halts at Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye would inconvenience commuters fromMaidstone East and Bearsted. East Malling andWest Malling stations are on the same line and could also be affected.
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