High Street work begins Continued from page one


closed and drivers wanting to get into town from Fairmeadow will have to use Earl Street and Pudding Lane. A council statement said the 'Public


Realm Project' aims to improve how the High Street looks, feels and works. "The completed scheme will see less road space given over to vehicles and a new public space created in front of the Town Hall.


"The wider pavements and new cross-


ing points will make the street more peo- ple-friendly, whilst maintaining access for buses, taxis, loading vehicles and blue badge holders," the statement adds.


It is hoped that high-quality pavement surfaces, new seating, lighting and trees will attract shoppers and tourists, and en- courage them to relax and spend time there. Town centre managers, retailers and


other user groups have been consulted throughout. Changes include: Buses stops by the Queens Monu-


ment to be relocated beside theTownHall The taxi rank moved to King Street The project will stop for two weeks


over Christmas, from December 22. The go-ahead for the Phase 2, Lower High Streetworks has not yet been given.


The predicted timescale of the regeneration scheme


‘Town should push for ring road’ New layby brings


A COUNCILLOR has called for a Maidstone ring road, built in sections that would even- tually be joined up. Cllr Val Springett, a newly elected borough member for Bearsted, spelled out her vision during a debate about solving the town's con- gestion problems. The much-discussed Leeds-Langley bypass


is unlikely to be funded by government for at least 15 years. And to pay for it with devel- oper contributions would require the coun- cil agreeing to a vast housing estate south east of Maidstone - something it has "not got the stomach for", the regeneration scrutiny com- mittee heard. But Cllr Springett said the majority of traf-


fic crosses from east to west, and added: “I would love to come out of Bearsted, turn left and whiz on a bypass and go round the out- side. My ideal would be a ring road.” Though she understood this was not going


to happen immediately, she insisted: "We have to pursue the Leeds-Langley bypass. I know we have been told it's not going to hap- pen. I think we need to stop telling ourselves it's not going to happen and say, 'how do we


make it happen?' "The M25 was built in segments. They built


a little bit, then built another little bit. "We need to look ahead with amajor plan.


Are there any little segments of this we can look at and pursue, with the aim - in 30 years' time - of all these little bits being joined up? The [London] North Circular is made up of individual roads that form a big pattern.” Cllr Springett concluded: "We have to say,


'we need it, how can we achieve it'." Cllr Malcolm Robertson said there is little likelihood of the present government financ- ing any major road infrastructure and Kent County Council has other priorities. He said the only way to fund it would be


with Section 106 contributions from devel- opers but added: "I don't think members would have the stomach even for the level of development that might pay for half of it." Cllr Springett, however, warned: "I think


we are going to end up with a development anyway, with something at junction 8 [M20] butwithout the road. So we will end upwith the worst of both cases. That is my fear, that that will happen anyway."


Drug claim at Showground event "I also spoke with the head stew-


ORGANISERS of a Christian con- ference at the County Showground found no evidence of drug-taking during the event following com- plaints from nearby residents. A woman and her neighbour,


who live in a road alongside the venue in Detling, reported a strong smell of dope drifting towards their homes. The woman contacted the DownsMail the day after shewent over to the showground to com- plain about the noise from a band and the smell, which she said was "unmistakeably"marijuana. "I was told by a security guard


that he formally complained to the organisers about the drug-taking and nothing had been done.


PEOPLEWithout Limits, who have organised the Detling Celebration family event at the showground for the past 12 years, said they have strict guidelines about the behav- iour of their guests. "Any breach in the expected stan-


dard of behaviour or an allegation of criminal activity is taken very se- riously and investigated thor- oughly. The suggestion that the use of drugs is condoned is completely refuted," said a statement.


14 East


ard who confirmed there was a problem with drugs at this festi- val."


She said it was "inappropriate" conduct at a Christian event, which attractsmany young people to the County Showground. Also, the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, was con- cerned that her 13-year-old daugh- ter was asking about the smell. She added: "Ifmy daughterwas there I would be very concerned if some- one was smoking a drug two tents up from her." The woman also said the vol-


ume of the music actuallywent up after she requested it be turned down.


Organiser: ‘We have strict guidelines’ It added: "There was one report of


the possible smell of drugs early in the conference which was investi- gated and no evidence found. No formal complaintwas received. "Noise is stringently monitored


and sessions are finished even ear- lier than required by the show- ground’s licence in order to minimise any inconvenience to the neighbours." Police confirmed they are in- vestigating the drugs allegation.


buses back at last BUSES will soon be returning to the 101 route at Bluebell Hill after work is com- pleted on a new and safer layby at San- dling.


Arriva stopped its service on the A229


more than a year ago, saying it was un- safe for vehicles to pull away from the bus stop into fast moving traffic. This led to protests from Boxley Parish Council, residents and Kent Wildlife Trust, as the village was effectively cut off from public transport. Kent Highway Services contractors are


due to start the scheme on September 19 with funding from Cllr Paul Carter’s de- volved budget. The bus shelter and bin will be moved to the new layby with the parish council meeting this expense. Boxley said its chairman Martin Pep-


Tabernacle blow PLANS to renovate one of Maidstone’s most iconic build- ings – The Tabernacle at The Mote cricket ground – have taken a blow now the local 36 Engineer Regiment duties are growing in Afghanistan. The soldiers had drawn up detailed plans to help with much of the restoration – but now their manpower is needed around the world they have withdrawn. This has left the cricket club


at least £10,000 short on the budget to bring the historic derelict building back into sporting use.


A LOCAL netball team has a new set of bibs thanks to the generosity of a Maid- stone law firm. Gullands is sponsoring theYalding sen- ior team, who play in Divi- sion One of the Malling and Maidstone league. One of the nine-strong squad, Catherine Bond (31) of Maidstone (pictured top left), is an associate solici- tor at Gullands. She approached her em- ployers for help at the end of the winter season. The Yalding team was set up about


per had attended every Maidstone Joint Transport Board meeting since the serv- ice cancellation last June to ensure residents were not ig- nored. The campaign was sup- ported by County Cllr Carter who ensured KHS designed a more reasonably priced proj- ect. He then used part of his budget to pay for the work. Arriva plan to reinstate the


101 service on October 10. The parish council said:


“Without councillors fighting for the village, the 101 rein- statement would not have happened”, and appealed for people to consider standing at the parish council elec- tions in May 2012.


Women score with smart new look


20 years ago. The league uses the netball courts atAylesford Bulls Rugby club.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


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