J7 scheme would ‘double traffic queues’
A SCHEME to improve M20 J7 would dou- ble existing traffic queues, it has been claimed. In April last year, Maidstone Council granted planning permission for the erec- tion of an office building at Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, on condi- tion that the applicant, Gallagher Proper- ties, undertakes traffic improvements. But the developer, which says it has the backing of Kent Highway Services, insists any proposed measures would actually add to congestion. In its application to remove the condition,
the supporting statement said: “The junc- tion signalisation scheme does not deliver any traffic capacity benefit whatsoever and, indeed, significantly worsens the operation of the junction to the extent that traffic queues on the A249 would extend some 3.7km to the top of Detling Hill to the north, and over 2km south into Maidstone town centre, effectively more than doubling ex- isting maximum queues. “KHS have expressed reservations in light
of these projected impacts and there is no reasonable alternative scheme that would be relevant to the developments in question
and give rise to the same effect, that being the desire of the highways authority to con- trol traffic flows onto and off theM20 main- line.
“The potential detriment from the imple- mentation of the scheme would be expected to severely impact on the economic com- petitiveness of Maidstone and highway safety.”
Gallagher further claimed that traffic
flows between Maidstone town centre and the M20 have reduced by up to 30% since 2006, “suggesting a reduction in Maidstone economic activity”.
Husband and wife stole to buy drugs A COUPLE stole from church collection boxes, including All Saints’ in Staplehurst, to fund their drug habit. Magistrates at Sevenoaks jailed Mark Wilson (43) for 240 days
and his wife, Diane, was given a four-month suspended sentence. The pair, from May Road, Gillingham, had admitted burglary and trespassingwith intent and asked for 20 similar offences to be con- sidered. As well as two thefts at All Saints’, burglaries were carried out between June and November 2011 at Maidstone, Headcorn, West Malling and Tonbridge.
Doorstep warning
Students in round table talks with MP SIXTH form students studying at the St Augustine Academy in Maidstone, engaged in round table talks with Helen Grant, MP forMaidstone and theWeald. Mrs Grant spoke about her own education, her background
and her life now as aMember of Parliament. Following her meeting with the students, Helen met several
head teachers from local schools to discuss the potential impact of funding cuts to the education budget. She is pictured with some of the students at St Augustine’s and academy principal Peter Midwinter.
HOUSEHOLDERS are being warned to be wary of door-to- door callers following a spate of burglaries in the Penenden Heath area of Maidstone. Police believe aman handing
out company flyers could be linked to the burglaries, using them as a means to gain infor- mation. Call 101, the police non- emergency number, if you see anything suspicious.
Information evening
for businesses A FREE information evening for business will be held at Allington Library on Wednes- day, March 14. The library already shares its facilities with the local Federa- tion of Small Businesses and the evening is one of a series of events being organised by Kent libraries service to help the county’s business community.
6 Town
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