Fear over threat to ticket offices
CLOSING station ticket offices would be "yet another erosion of our general rail services", says local MP Helen Grant. Stations identified as poten-
tially facing the axe include Maidstone West and Marden, where Mrs Grant lives. Others listed in a report by transport industry expert Sir Roy McNulty are Barming and Lenham. Mrs Grant said she was con- cerned closures could result in delays and lost revenue as well as compromise public safety and access to information. She vowed to raise the issue with Transport Minister
Theresa Villiers and Transport Minister Norman Baker. She added: "There can be queues at the automated ma- chines, which also frequently seem to be out of service. This is really irksome when you are rushing for a train without a season ticket." Sir Roy wants train compa-
nies to consider shutting all cat- egory E station ticket offices, which serve fewer than 250,000 passengers a year. It is ironic that only a few months ago, high-speed serv- ices to London were introduced from MaidstoneWest.
Murder charges after house fire
AFANT man became the second person to be charged with murder after a fatal fire in Chatham. FarhadMahmud (35) from Kensington House, Fernhill Road,was charged with murdering the estranged wife and baby son of his as- sociate Danai Muhammadi (23), from Coventry. Both men were charged with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Police were also questioning a 21-year-old woman and a 37-year-
old man from Coventry following the fire on September 10 at a two- storey terraced house in Chatham Hill. Melissa Crook (20) and her 15-month-old son Noah died in the blaze. Melissa's 49-year-old father was in a life-threatening condition in
East Grinstead Hospital as Downs Mail went to press. Her 21-year- old brother and 49-year-old mother had been released from Med- wayMaritime Hospital after treatment.
Brakes put on car park sale plan COUNCILLORS have challenged an officer's assertion that a 66-space car park is surplus to requirement. Maidstone's parking services manager Jeff Kitson listed seven rea-
sons for the Brunswick Street site sell-off. Cabinet member Marion Ring approved it. But her decisionwas "called in" for further discus- sion by borough councillors Mike FitzGerald and Dennis Collins. One member said it was not a "black and white issue" and others wanted adequate consultations with nearby residents and businesses. Alocal dancing school is worried parents would be unable to drop
off and pick up their children. Mr Kitson's report argued there would be enough on-street parking bays. College Road car park was also an alternative. The scrutiny committee asked Cllr Ring to be sure the sell-off would not have an unduly adverse effect on locals.
“Unacceptable” conversion A PLAN by Bankside Properties to con- vert an outbuilding into a two-bedroom home at 72 Boxley Road,Maidstone, was refused by Maidstone Council. The planning department claimed:
“The proposal would result in a poor form of development, with an unaccept- able relationship with nearby dwellings that would result in an unacceptable level of amenity for prospective occupiers.”
Amenities
meeting LOOSE Amenities Association holds its annual meeting on Wednesday, October 12 at the George V Pavilion, starting at 8pm. Info: 01622 743676.
4 Town
You can e-mail the Downs Mail —
info@downsmail.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48