LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


No more building please Dear Sir – I can only assume from Mr Rob Taylor’s comments about the need for a su- permarket (Downs Mail August issue) that he doesn’t live on the Sutton Road. If he did, he would not want another su- permarket, nor 600 houses, built at or near Langley. Living next to the Sutton Road is like liv-


ing next to a motorway – the traffic is ex- tremely heavy and is non-stop from the early hours of the morning. After Morrison’s was built, the traffic be-


came noticeably heavier and, with the ad- vent of the housing on what was the police estate and the more recent devel- opment of over 350 houses on the old Senacre School site, the traffic noise has become unbearable. There are plans for another 100 or so houses at the back of police headquarters, which will only add more traffic. This area is already saturated with hous-


ing and I can see a time when the Sutton Road will have to be developed into four lanes of traffic – just like the Loose Road is now. The only respite we get is on the two days a year whenMorrison’s and the shops in town are closed (Easter Sunday and Christmas Day). I can only hope that a large supermarket,


600 houses and a 1,000-place park-and-ride in this area take years to become a reality, and that I will have moved away from the area to somewhere more peaceful long be- fore that happens. Mrs J Fulton, Sutton Road,Maidstone


Rationing NHS is a reality Dear Sir – I think you are right to express fears (Mail, August) that the new local GP Commissioning Group will be responsible for rationing NHS services to the serious detriment of patients. The pressure is really on GPs already. Almost every week we receive compli-


cated spreadsheets about our budgets and referrals, statingwe spend toomuch and we refer too many patients. When patients are referred they can still be rejected – increas- ingly frequently. One of my patients is very angry with an


NHS administrator, who told her she had been taken off the list for a gall bladder re- moval as she “does not meet the criteria”. Only a few weeks ago a consultant surgeon told her she did need an operation. She re- mains in acute pain. This is blatant ra- tioning and denying a vulnerable patient a core basic service. This disgrace is now widespread inWest Kent. MPs be warned; these problems are com-


ing your way soon. Dr Paul Hobday, GP, Sutton Valence.


Parking dilemma for disabled Dear Sir – I read with interest the article in the August Downs Mail that “only buses and taxis are allowed to drive up the bottom end of the High Street”. Another story stated that “only buses and taxis are al- lowed at the top end of the High Street”. It would be very nice to know how drivers holding blue disabled badges are expected to reach the parking spots marked for their


Hospital parking scheme A PLANNING application has been resub- mitted to increase staff car parking atMaid- stone Hospital. The scheme involves increasing provision from 67 to 251 spaces on the north west corner of the site. A simi- lar scheme was withdrawn in November.


46 Town


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


use in the different parts of the High Street. John Dickens,Wolfe Road,Maidstone


Thanks for returning purse Dear Sir–Imoved toMaidstonefromDover in April 2011 to help to look after my great granddaughter. Although I miss my family and friends, I


love Maidstone. I have great neighbours, and I love the area where we live. Since being here I’ve seen the changes in


the town and Mote Park, both arewonderful – congratulations to everyone involved in the two projects. I find Maidstone people in general very


polite and friendly, they’ve made me feel very welcome here. Last night I found out how honest they are too. I managed to lose my purse in the The Mall shopping centre, but didn’t realise it was missing until tea time. I did the usual (cancelled bank card, phoned the police etc) and did not expect to see my purse again. Then at about 7pm a policeman knocked onmy door and handed me my purse, with everything intact. He said the information desk in the shopping centre had handed it in to the police. I’m not sure who handed it to the people


at the information desk, hopefully I will find out tomorrow, but Iwould like to say to the finder, the information desk and the po- lice, thank you very very much, you are all very kind.


NickyMcCann, by email


Parking puts us off town Dear Sir – Having attended part of the Olympic Torch Community concert in Mote Park, it was a shame to discover that on re- turning to our car in the Mote Road pay and display car park, where my vehicle was parked correctly in a bay, that we had been issued with a penalty charge notice a mere six minutes after the expiry time on our ticket. Technically yes, we had “parked after the expiry of paid-for time”, but surely on an occasion such as this, where MBC was al- legedly keen to have the community cele- brating the Olympic torch arrival, a little leniency could have been applied? But then this is the council that allows the


major car park operator at Fremlin Walk to charge DOUBLE the amount for parking on a Saturday compared to a weekday,whenmany wish to shop, go to the theatre or dine out. This reinforces my belief that, despite


MBC’s spending ofmillions to create aHigh Street where people can enjoy such activi- ties, until they address the availability and cost of parking in the town, many, like me, will be staying away. Well done MBC – the Olympic celebra-


tionswill certainly be memorable for us, but not for the best reasons! Mrs C Rennison, by email


Wrong sort of shopping trip Dear Sir – What spoilsports Maidstone Bor- ough Council are. My husband and I spent many a lunch hour watching unsuspecting shoppers around Jubilee Square tripping over the new, expensive paving. We could easily reach double figures whilewe shared a sandwich, but now it has


Trees may be grounded A PLANNING application has been lodged to fell six sycamore trees at 70 Union Street, Maidstone, in the Holy Trin- ity Church Conservation Area. Maidstone Council will determine the application.


been spoilt by some clumsily-painted yel- low lines! We also witnessed several elderly unfor- tunates trying to get up on to the kerb by the junction of King Street and Week Street, only to realise itwas far too high at one end. For Maidstone’s economic development manager John Foster to say: “There have only been a small number of trips and falls,” can only mean he inhabits a parallel uni- verse, where “emergency” works by UK Power networks dig up the new paving and then leave it for weeks, without actually doing anything and still allowing traffic through the new area. Canterbury manages to be a very success-


ful city with a bus station at one end and no through traffic, so why can’t Maidstone? Thank you again for supplying us allwith


such an excellent publication Jeanne Gibson, Birling Avenue, Bearsted


A hat-trick for Mote Park? Dear Sir – I was delighted to read (Mail Marks, July) that there is a real chance of county cricket returning to Maidstone now that The Mote Cricket Club has major pro- posals to regenerate the fading 100-year-old pavilion and facilities at the ground. They are needed to match the splendour


of this magnificent ground as well as to meet Kent Cricket’s requirement to return to Maidstone for county games, which were first held there in 1859. Cricketers have a chance of completing a wonderful hat trick at Mote Park. The council’s recentmajor improvements to the park itself have added so much to this treas- ure, and the Audley restoration of Mote House and surroundings as a retirement vil- lage has brought back to life a very sad and neglected area.


Marion James, Bearsted


Blue badge red tape Dear Sir – I had to write in response to the letter in Downs Mail from Ron Mould re- garding his friend’s wait for a blue badge. I ama blue badge holder, and with every re-


newal it does say reminders are not sent out. It can take up to six weeks to renew each


time, to allow for details to be checked etc. It is up to the badge holder to apply in plenty of time. Every renewal requires two photos, and a £10 admin fee. This used to be £2, but has had to go up. I think his friend needs to read the pa-


perwork with the badge. John Funnell, by email


Top facilities in ‘real’ library Dear Sir – I recently visited a “state-of-the- art” library. It was visually splendid, and contained a great range of books, tapes, videos, computers – the lot. There were even pictures on the walls and


a garden to sit in. It had a comprehensive col- lection of local histories and a reference li- brary with a dedicated room for quiet study. There were large notice boards for informa-


tion on local events, societies and services. So this was Maidstone’s new Heritage li- brary? Don’t make me laugh, This was at Gravesend – a real library!


David Bell, Loose


Moorings proposal A PLANNING application has been sub- mitted to refurbish six moorings on the Medway near Allington Castle. The scheme, to be determined by Maidstone Council, would involve the replacement of old alloy poles and wooden boardwalks.


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


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