Town’s drivers ‘worst in county’


MAIDSTONE drivers are the worst in Kent, according to ac- cident statistics. Although there was a 50% re- duction in the number of acci- dents involving fatalities or serious injuries in Maidstone between 2000 and 2010, the county town consistently records the highest number of personal injury accidents across the whole of Kent. Driver error and behaviour


were significant factors in acci- dents, with young drivers being at particular risk. In 2010, there were four fatal accidents, 46 serious accidents and 509 slight accidents in the borough. Canterbury was sec- ond highest with 49 victims killed or seriously injured. Of the drivers involved, more than half – 53% – had Maid-


Diamond move A DIAMOND manufacturer whose relocation is part of the Sainsbury’s proposal for Staple- hurst has been given permission to move to new premises. Maidstone Council has granted planning permission for a 3,044 sq m factory unit to be used by DK Holdings in Sta- tion Approach. Should Sains- bury’s get planning permission to build a new supermarket, it will be located on the site of DK Holdings’ current premises – on land bounded by Station Approach and Lodge Road – and enable the company to move to the larger premises. Tesco has also submitted a planning application for a su- permarket in Station Approach. Neither has yet been deter- mined byMaidstone Council.


Patients’ group STOCKETT Lane doctors’ sur- gery in Coxheath has set up a patient participation group and is inviting patients who use the surgery to join a virtual group for e-mail updates. The aim of the group is to en-


sure proper patient representa- tion in decisions regarding the range and quality of services provided by the practice. For more information please contact the surgery on 01622 745585.


stone postcodes, with the rest coming from outside the county (12%), Medway (9%), Ton- bridge & Malling (7%), Swale (6%) and Ashford (5%). A report to Maidstone Joint


Transportation Board revealed the peak times for accidents as early morning (8-9am) and weekday evenings, from 3-8pm. The roads with the highest number of accidents were the A229, A249, A274, A26, A20, theM20 and the M2. The county’s head of high-


ways and transportation, Tim Read, revealed that the town’s community safety partnership had been focusing attention on specific sectors, including driv- ers aged 17-21, pedestrians aged 11-16, 16-year-old moped riders and 17-24 year olds riding all types of bike.


Writing in the county’s road


safety plan for 2012/13, he says: “Mostpedestrians and cyclists are put at risk by the actions of driv- ers – especially in the driver’s choice of speed or they way they choose to be distracted by things such as mobile phones. “From the age of 16, young-


sters can ride their first motor vehicle on the road. Whilst there is a level of compulsory basic training that has to be completed before road riding is allowed, the relative lack of ex- perience of young riders leads them into a range of hazardous situations.” Maidstone is a high priority


for KCC’s education work in schools, with projects such as “Licence to Kill”, “Car’n’Age” and “Rush”, which are aimed at teenagers, exploring the circum-


stances and consequences of road accidents. Cllr Gary Cooke, chairman of


the joint transportation board, said: “The quality of driving in Maidstone has deteriorated rap- idly, especially at traffic lights, where red seems to signify ‘get across quickly’ and amber means ‘accelerate’. “While the number of acci-


dents has fallen in recent years, it is only amatter of time before it starts to rise again.” Cllr Paulina Stockell argued


the incidence of accidents in Maidstone was higher because it was the county town and, consequently, attracted more traffic. But Cllr Cooke said: “While


the results show an improve- ment, there are no grounds for complacency.”


MPs promoted


Matt Smith and Paul Baines with the Robin Reliant which took them all the way to Germay


To Germany on three wheels


AVALIANT duo fromWestFarleigh sports club were among those who ventured to its twin town of Ringstedt,North Germany, for the annual twinning reunion. But Matt Smith, who helped to


setuptheexchange25yearsago, and his colleague Paul Baines de- cided todrivethere–inanancient Reliant Robin. The car was bought by one of


the sports clubmembers as a gift for their continental cousins inthe land where Audi andBMWrule – “because they didn’t have one”.


LISA Paintain has been refused permission to live in a mobile home opposite Stable Cottages, off Forge Lane, East Farleigh. Shewanted to live there to help


keep her property and horses safe and secure. ButMaidstone Coun- cil’s decision notice said: “The


SMOKERS who are fined for dropping cig- arette butts on the streets of Maidstone could get some of theirmoney back – if they give up the habit. Maidstone council,which operates a zero- tolerance litter policy, issues £75 fixed penalty notices to offenders, and most of them are given for smoking-related rubbish. Now anyone fined for discarding ciga-


rettes can claim back £50 in high street vouchers through a NHS Stop Smoking course. Offenders who pay their fines will be offered a leaflet inviting them to attend a free seven-week Quit Club. If they kick thehabit they will get the vouch-


Immediately a challenge was


set – to drive the car the 500 miles to Ringstedt so the German lads could drive it backagainnext year.


Although the official twinning


between WFSC and Ringstedt took place in 1999, the friendship goes back almost 25 years. Club secretary Ian Payne said:


“The lads are always coming up with different ways of having fun. These have involved the world lawn-mower championshipsanda variety of drinking games.”


Mobile home would ‘harm’ rural area


proposal represents an unjusti- fied and unsustainable form of development and would result in consolidation of existing sporadic development in the countryside and would thus be harmful to the character and appearance of the rural area.”


ers to spend in the town’s shops. People taking part will have their carbon monoxide levels monitored each week to prove they are no longer smoking. But critics, including town centre man-


ager Bill Moss, say the scheme is a waste of tax-payers’ money. Graham Thomas from the Kent Commu-


nity Health NHS Trust stop smoking team said: “We know quitting is tough but no one has to go it alone. We can provide advice and practical support to help people to quit. We can also provide nicotine replacement therapy for a normal prescription charge.” The Quit Club will be held in Maidstone


MPfor Maidstone and the Weald, has been ap- pointed joint Par- liamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice


for


Women’s & Equality issues, while Faversham and Mid Kent MP and Olympics minister Hugh Robertson, pictured right, has been promoted to Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport and made a member of the Privy Council. Mr Roberston said: “Having


first got involved in London 2012 as a shadow minister in 2004, it is fantastic to have the opportunity to see the project through by helping to shape the legacy period.”


Tree felling plan JOAN Attwood has applied to fell a protected oak tree at 50 Oak Lane, Headcorn. Her planning application, which will be determined by Maidstone Council, says the tree has bacterial wetwood, which she fears will spread.


Littering smokers are offered away out


from nextmonth to coincidewith a national stop smoking campaign. Anyone who has paid a fine for dropping smoking-related lit- ter during August can attend. The scheme will begin as a pilot, jointly funded by the NHS and Maidstone council from the paid fines. Vouchers cannot be spent on tobacco or alcohol. Cabinet member for environment Cllr Marion Ring said: “The figures tell us the vast majority of littering in Maidstone is smoking-related. “This scheme not only helps someone re-


coup some of their penalty charge, it also of- fers them a lifeline to a smoke-free future.”


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 South 23


in reshuffle BOTH the area’s MPs have risen up the ranks in the latest cabinet reshuffle. Helen Grant,


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