LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Town speed limits Dear Sir – I was very surprised to see a let- ter in the Downs Mail March complaining about the possible introduction of more 20mph speed limits in Maidstone, seem- ingly on the grounds that they were too slow.


Whenever I tell anyone I live in Maid-


stone, if they’re familiar with the town they immediately mention the slow-mov- ing traffic. Most of the time during the day and dur-


ing shopping hours at weekends, particu- larly around the one-way system, it always seems to be at a crawl and achieving even 20mph is rare, so hankering for the reten- tion of the usual speed limits because “they have stood us in good stead for decades” appears rather whimsical. Little store can be placed on what the police regard as “unenforceable”, because there is scant evidence of them enforcing the traffic laws in the town. For example, the yellow box junctions on the one-way system (and elsewhere) might as well not be there, because they are widely ignored and nothing is done about it. That’s the reason for build-up of traffic


in St Peter’s Street; speed is irrelevant to that situation. A large number of people pass the pro- hibition sign at Fairmeadow junction with High Street, which clearly shows that mo- torcycles and cars are prohibited, unless the latter is a taxi. The only other exemption is buses, but drivers (particularly in the misnamed “rush-hour”) turn left past the sign, to then turn right into Mill Street. Every one of them is committing an offence, because entrance for non-exempted vehicles is pro- hibited from that point. The only other way that Mill Street can


be approached is via Pudding Lane and even then it’s only for blue badge vehicles, or loading/unloading, or those seeking ac- cess to off-street premises. This means in effect that no vehicle, out-


side those exempted, can use High Street and Mill Street, particularly if they are using these roads as a through route. This would be an easy offence for even the most novice police probationer to report, but again the police seem reluctant to commit any resources to such enforcement. The council cannot be regarded as com- pletely blameless, as its policy of creating lots of movement, in the belief that this will help to keep the traffic flowing, in fact has the opposite effect. This is one of the reasons such a policy was abandoned a long time ago in London and the traffic flows much better as a result. Christopher Hudson-Gool, by email


No water for extra homes Dear Sir – Firstly congratulations on pro- ducing a great little informativemagazine. My reason for putting pen to paper is, in


your March edition the headline read 5,000-home village plan, then went on to say estimates of housing needs are closer to 16,000 units, with a further 4,500 re- quired by 2030. It would appear to me that somewhere, someone has suddenly discovered a new supply of water. The last two summers we have been threatened with a hosepipe ban. Several years ago, on April 1, I put a no-


tice on a billboard outside my shop at Pe- nenden Heath, which caused several smiles, saying that the water shortage was over, because the water board had found a


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


YOUR VIEWS ON TOWN’S RIVER - PAST AND PRESENT


Jobs went with factories Dear Sir – Regarding Dennis Fowle’s com- ments on Maidstone’s “attractive river- side”, I’m sorry, but I must disagree with your views regarding the buildings along the river. To me, they are a sad loss of employ-


ment to Maidstone’s unemployed.Maybe you have lived in a different “class” to me. When I came to this area for my late father’swork as a gardener,we lived in an old farm worker’s cottage until he died. We were then evicted, and I bought my present house. I must then be called a long-term resident and a lover of Kent. I well remember all the paper mills in


Tovil and Aylesford – all gone now. Where do we get our paper now? Then, we also had Tilling Stevens –


such a busy factory – giving work to school leavers when they followed their father looking for a safe job . The girls went to Sharpe’s Toffees or


Foster Clark Custard, mostly coming from our growing council estates and allwork- ing, instead of the many benefits they all get as the unemployed now.We still have the uneducated school leavers, who will be unable to work in the fast-growing computer world today. Maybe I’m too sentimental for today’s world. But I will always say I had the best childhood.We have online shopping and supermarkets delivering food – soon we will have no employment for shop work- ers. I hate the self-checkouts now in the stores. I loved the trolley buses and the shops all down the High Street. No longer the smiling “Can I help you” from any shop staff you find. So like me, those old factories and work buildings are past their best, but they all gave our young people work and a pride to work for their money, instead of the constant benefits now. As for the tourist information centre


way to dilute the water. Maybe they have just done that. Another thought – where are these extra people going to find employment and where are they coming from, not to men- tion who is going to pay the rent? At this time, people are being made re- dundant , shops are closing down etc. I sincerely hope that things will work out, now and for the next generation. C C PWilliams, Faraday Road, Penenden Heath


Another parking ‘rip-off’ Dear Sir – Like your reader, Peter Packham of Bearsted, I was also “ripped off” with a parking fine in exactly the same place at Lockmeadow. If only I had read his article first! I had a choice of spaces, but on close in- spection of the markings in that spot, I de- cided it was a valid space with a smudged T shape, indicating a parking space on ei- ther side of the T. A few years ago I used to park frequently


at Lockmeadow, when I went to the local gym, and I can’t say I have ever seen peo- ple turn in that spot. It is more normal to reverse out backwards if there are no spaces at the rear of the car park. I have written to KCC suggesting they re- paint their markings more effectively and


moving to the museum, I complained to the councillors and the town centre man- agement, stating it must be in the busy centre for all the visitors, and not in the side street away from tourists. I was told it was a goodmove, making sure, I expect, that the museum got visitors. In the end I gave up – the council and


town management all thought they knew best. I used it before the move, but not now. It’s too far to walk for me, and I ex- pect others too. Gladys Tompsett, Holtye Crescent


Venetian-style elegance Dear Sir – I very much agree with Dennis Fowle that efforts so far to re-develop the old industrial embankment of the Medway have failed to exploit fully Maidstone's po- tential as a riverside town. In my view, however, the main failing


has been not in the nature of the develop- ments along the west bank, but in the fail- ure to address the fact that it is themassive traffic barrier of the A229 that prevents the full achievement of that potential by iso- lating town centre shoppers from the east bank. I assume there is no realistic way of re- moving or burying that traffic, but I have oftenwondered whether inspiration could be taken from Venice’s Rialto Bridge to cre- ate an architecturally-beautiful covered foot crossingwith integral boutiques lead- ing up and across from Earl Street or Wa- terside (or perhaps even straight across from House of Fraser’s already elevated car park) and down to many more such char- acterful outlets built above tidal height along the east bank. Such an imaginative approach could transform the town centre, adding signifi- cantly to its size, making it more attractive as amooring place for boats and as a loca- tion for small specialist outlets serving them, and greatly improving its appeal to tourists and to shoppers. David Cocketham, Bearsted


clearly indicate that it is turning spot. If they don’t, I will.


Teresa Ewence, Loose


Maidstone Library Dear Sir – The new library is more like a combination of a computer games centre and toddlers’ nursery than anything else. Is that what “state of the art” means? Perhaps Maidstone Council can provide


us with a proper library again? There is a vacant property in St Faith’s Street just right for the job. George Whitney, Anglesea Avenue, Loose


Groups of youths Dear Sir – I was in The Mall shopping cen- tre in Maidstone recently andwas horrified to see a number of girls congregating around the photo booth. As I had my grandchildren with me we


were unable to use the facilites, but I was amazed when a security guard strolled past. He never even spoke or moved them on. Surely he could see the problem they were causing? This has caused me to stop shopping in


the Mall at weekends, as the groups were very intimidating. I would like to know if any other readers have had this problem?


C. Smith, by email 38 Town Support YOUR local paper — and we can support YOU - advertise on 01622 630330


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