High-speed trains to stay on track


THE high-speed train (HST) service from MaidstoneWest is to continue into 2012. After an initial trial this year, the service


has been retained in the new December timetable that runs until next May. But there will be no increase in the num-


ber of 47-minute, midweek trains to London St Pancras and back – currently three in the early morning and three in the evening.


Maidstone’s train champion, Cllr Mal-


colm Robertson, said HST usage was rising steadily. He believes it will increase even more as people start to build their lives around the new service. Cllr Robertson is also impressed at how Network Rail has “tooled up” to deal with any severe weather.


FAY Gooch and Marlene Parks have been neigh- bours in Heath Road, Barming, for 30 years. They have both been represented by Maidstone's MP during that time - but not for much longer if the Boundary Commission gets it way. Mrs Gooch is furious that her end of Heath


Road will be in a new Tonbridge constituency while Mrs Parks - a few doors away - will still be in Maidstone for parliamentary elections. The irony is that Mrs Gooch represents the Barming ward on Maidstone Borough Council though the Tonbridge MP would represent her. "I've very miffed. It's nonsensical," she stormed. "I'm aMaidstone person and I identify with Maidstone." She said Heath Road is part of an integrated Barming Heath community and the Boundary Commission plan would split it down the mid- dle.


"I'll be objecting most strongly to the commis-


sion's barmy proposal for Barming!" said Mrs Gooch. She added: "In trying to achieve a better bal-


ance between constituency sizes, the commis- sion has totally ignored natural boundaries.


"Mopping up discrete towns and villages to help even up the numbers is away forward, but carv- ing up Maidstone is not the way to do it. We're not in the 1800s drawing straight lines across Africa for the sake of convenience." She explained half the Beverley estate is in


Heath ward and would vote in the village hall for aMaidstone candidate. The other half of the estate is in Barming ward and would have to vote in the parish hall for a Tonbridge candidate.


Arecent rail forum heard that heated con- ductor rails had been installed at an extra 120 locations on the Kent network. Previ- ously, there were only 40. Cllr Robertson said they were mainly at stations and near signals, from where trains have to draw enormous amounts of current from a standstill position.


Parliamentary boundary changes are ‘barmy’ Miffed: Fay Gooch, left, and Marlene Parks


show their feelings near the boundary stone in Heath Road


Prison is a


top performer MAIDSTONE Prison has been rated among the best in Britain. Inspectors awarded it the top performance rating, level 4, achieved by just a quarter of prisons. Only four years ago, they criticised Maidstone for being overcrowded, dilapidated and unhygienic. Recognition by HMI of the


Mrs Gooch said: “It’s crazy. We live in Maid-


stone. We identify with Maidstone. Tonbridge & Malling are our neighbours, and that’s as far as it goes.”


Maidstone MP since May 2010, Helen Grant,


said: “Changes to Barming Heath is one of many concerns I have over the proposed changes. It is issues like this that demonstratewhy changes to constituency boundaries have to be treatedwith the utmost care and attention. “In May 2010 I was elected to represent the people of Maidstone and the Weald in its cur- rent form untilMay 2015 and I am committed to fulfilling that role. I would be extremely disap- pointed to have to say goodbye to any part of this constituency. “The Boundary Commission document is still


just a proposal and itwill need to be considered very carefully by the national parties as well as the local associations."


Summer is Maidstone’s prettiest child!


FIFTEEN-month-old Summer Scammell is officiallyMaidstone and Mallings’ prettiest child afterwinning a Downs Mail competition in con- junction with Maidstone Photo Factory. The tot polled most votes in our Pretty as a Picture competition, which was open to children aged threemonths to three years.


After getting through an opening round that attracted over 1,200 votes, Summer, daughter of Chris Scammell and Hayley Bramley, polled more support than fellow finalists Lainey and Isla to claim the inaugural crown.


Pictured is Summer


with her proud par- ents (and dogMarley) being presented with the winner’s canvas print, worth £500, by TimGrimes of Maid- stone Photo Factory.


Over 40 entrants of


the competition re- ceived a free sitting at the Headcorn studios of Maidstone Photo Factory and a com- plementary 6x4 pho- tograph to keep.


16 Malling New design


needed AREPLACEMENT rear extensionat3Church Street, Teston, will only get the go-ahead once issues of scale and design are addressed. Maidstone Council refused the planning application because it felt the roof design was unsympathetically de- signed in relation to the original listed building. But the decision statement said the de- sire to improve the ex- isting rear extensions is welcomed, and urged applicant David Harker to seek informal pre- application advice with council officers on issues of scale and design prior to any re- submission.


Random panels RICHARD Walton was given permission to erect 15 solar panels at the rear garden of Ran- dom Cottage, Malling Road, Teston.


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


vast improvements was a great way for governor Andy Hud- son to sign off. He started a newjob at RochesterYoung Of- fenders Institution this week. Andy Bell, from Dover's immi- gration removal centre, has succeeded him. The prison was already rated ‘successful’ when Mr Hudson arrived in September 2009, but he vowed to strive for excel- lence. “My aim was to achieve recognition for the staff as an exceptional prison. I am ex- tremely pleased that this has nowbeen achieved,” he added.


Christmas cheer STORE operators in Maid- stone’s FremlinWalk can look ahead to the busiest time of the year with optimism after it was announced that the shopping complex would be fully let by Christmas. Following the unveiling of fashion clothes store Superdry, at No 27, in July, other arrivals have added further cheer. Menkind recently moved to


No 8, next to Goldsmiths, en- abling fashion retailer West Onetoopenashop at Menkind’s former home at No 23, next to La Senza. The Fragrance Shop, next toWater- stone’s, was also due to open, meaning the complex will have a 0%vacancy rate. The rate elsewhere in the


town centre is 10%, below the national average of 14%. Lloyd Wright, centre man-


ager at Fremlin Walk, said: “Given the retailer interest, our 0% vacancy rate and the in- vestment in the town centre re- generation, it is clear that Maidstone has a bright future. We have a stylish offer that is reflective of what our catch- ment area demands. “Despite reports in trade


press which list towns like Maidstone as being hard hit by recession, our retailers trade well and we have ex- cellent relationships with them.”


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