LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Park should be kept simple Dear Sir – Cobtree Manor Park used to be a beautiful place where you could get away from the crowds and see many species of wildlife. It was always neat and tidy, and well maintained. It was special because it had retained its natural unspoilt beauty – a fitting tribute to Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake – and you could get a cup of tea for a reasonable price. Sadly, MBC now hold the purse strings for


the Cobtree Trust, and are developing the park beyond recognition. They say this is to attract more users, but it had an abundance of users who cherished the park. Now the floodgates have opened to peo-


ple who visit for a totally different reason and have no affinity with the park. The grass area has been desecrated by the erec- tion of the children’s play area. There is lit- ter strewn throughout the park and woods, and an influx of new dogwalkers hasmeant horrendous amounts of dog mess lying around or, if it is cleaned up, the bags are thrown into the trees and bushes. Branches are snapped off trees, logs strewn across pathways, sticks put down rabbit holes.We never had this kind of dis- regard for the park and nature until now. The woodland is neglected and the café prices are exorbitant, compared to what they were. There is no loyalty to the people who have used the park for many years. We are told no charge is anticipated for


use of the facilities or to park in Cobtree once the car park is refurbished. We shall wait and see in that respect. Many peoplewho are constantly looking at


ways to entertain their young families will no doubt think the park is a great idea, but at what expense? There are also many people who avoid parks and venues where there are families and children, for obvious reasons. Cobtree met the criteria for such people,


and they should have been considered prior to the development. There are numerous other parks purpose-made for entertaining families – could we not have just had one preserved for the minority? Since the new structures have been as- sembled, the wildlife of the park has been depleted. I think this would be a subject of great sadness to Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake, who loved animals and wildlife. Oh and lest we forget, Cobtree Manor Park


is named on at least three websites as a renowned meeting place for doggers. Men indulging in this practice still frequent the park, skulking off into secluded areas, wit- nessed by most of the park users. Everything in this article will be met with


total indifference by many, especially by those involved in the development at MBC, who see this only as a project. Gone is a park of distinction loved by many people who en- joyed its simplicity. Mr G Judge, Snowdon Avenue, Maidstone


New road layout a puzzle Dear Sir – Is it me, or have our road plan- ners completely lost the plot? I refer to the new, under construction,


road layout at the A249 “Notcutts” round- about. It appears that the useful slip road to the M20 has been removed, in favour of a large deep verge, which is totally useless. The dual carriageway leading towards the Chiltern Hundreds has had a “gap opening” to allow vehicles to cross the dual carriage- way and enter the business park. This road is already a busy route and will become even more congested when the hospital and


42 Town


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retail outlets are completed. I believe that these alterations will make a bad situation far worse. I cannot comprehend why this “dog’s breakfast” has been given approval and would invite whoever was responsible to explain the reasoning behind it. I would also like to know how much this


has cost, and who is picking up the tab. Ken Goodchild, by email


Rethink housing scheme Dear Sir –With regard to the sites to be con- sidered for housing under the Core Strategy – Bridge Nursery, Oakapple Lane, East and West Hermitage Lane – I attended a meeting some 20 years ago when development of the Oakwood Hospital site was discussed. It was agreed that Maidstone first needed


a third bridge. This massive amount of housing went ahead without the agreed in- frastructure. Since then, St Simon Stock School has


been increased in Queen’s Road. Traffic comes to a standstill at 8.30am and 3.30pm. Hermitage Lane is so congested that key workers are finding it impossible to enter or leave the hospital. I wonder how ambu- lances would be affected if all of the above development took place? Chris Garland, Cllr Stephen Paine, and


Rob Jarman, I suggest you go back to the drawing board. S Law, Shaftesbury Drive, Maidstone


Will MP keep up her claims? I READ in the April edition of Downs Mail that the deputy chairman of the Maidstone and the Weald Conservative Association, Stephen Paine, is keen to “quash grumbling by political rivals” about Helen Grant’s ex- pense claims and chooses to blame “vin- dictive elements of the local press”, for the situation in which she finds herself. However, in this case, they have only re- ported the facts and have left readers to judge for themselves. While Ms Grant may not have done anything technically wrong with regard to her expense claims, I and many others regard it as morally wrong and certainly not in the spirit of legitimate ex- penses, which I believe was the proposal emerging from the enquiry by Sir Thomas Legg for future claims by MPs. The IPSA website, where Ms Grant’s claims can be viewed, states that non-Lon- don area MPs who own properties in both London and their constituency may claim for one of those properties. I believe Ms Grant’s own home is deemed


to be in London, where even her own MP cannot claim for a second home, that she does not own a property in the con- stituency, but she also rents another prop- erty even closer to Parliament, whilst also claiming some train fares to Maidstone. In addition, Ms Grant, along with all MPs,


has just received a 1%rise in her salary and expense limit, whilst I, along with many of her very hard-working constituents, have not received a pay rise for three years, but have had to accept a reduction in my pay to allow for increased NI and pension contributions. Is it, therefore, right thatMsGrant has taken


full advantage of every penny (her rental claim really is down to the very odd last penny) she can get from the taxpayer, whilst expecting no right of reply from those pro- viding her with such generous remuneration? Mr Paine, I stand ready to be quashed, but perhaps before you do, you could answer me this; in the event that Ms Grant is re- elected, does she intend to follow the same course of action for her future expenses? Steve Gibson, Birling Avenue, Bearsted


Risks of whistle-blowing Dear Sir – In light of the current problems in the health service, I know from experience that whistle-blowing is dangerous. If legiti- mate concerns are raised in the workplace this puts managers in a difficult position. This often has the result of the whistle- blower being “performance-managed” out of the system. Other potential whistleblow- ers keep quiet because they havemortgages and dependent families. Unfortunately, workplace bullying is en-


demic and perhapswe need a rethink of our attitudes to work. It does seem those caus- ing these problems earn higher salaries than the “coalface workers”. Dare I quote our friend Rose Gibb again?


John Ireland, Lenham


Fewer homes for tenants Dear Sir–Ihavejustreadabout Golding Homes’ regeneration at Park Wood. Their plan is to take down 234 homes and replace them with 185 new ones. This is 49 fewer homes.Howdoes this help people on the housing list? Especially when those families leaving Park Wood are being given priority over other tenants for proper- ties becoming vacant. Even when the new homes are built, there will be fewer of them. Mrs L Kemsley, Ashford Road, Bearsted


Slow down to save lives Dear Sir – As a resident of Abberley Park, I am making a plea to those drivers who use the Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, to try to stick to the speed limits. Abberley Park is a development of 10 houses built on the site of a demolished sin- gle house and Monro Homes has now built another development next door. Unfortu- nately, we still have no means for pedestri- ans to cross the road, as there are no pathways that follow the road down or up the Sittingbourne Road. I do not understand how Monro Homes


was given planning permission by Maid- stone Borough Council, with no means for people to be able to leave their homes on foot safely. It is also a shame for residents of the re- tirement home next door, as it can prove dif- ficult to cross the road when elderly. The speed limit on the road is 30mph. I


think many drivers will think it’s at least 50mph. Last year we had a serious crash outside the development and the car actu- ally took off and landed in a garden. Only the driver was injured. I can only as-


sume that we have no crossing or speed cam- eras on the road as no one has lost their life. Lynsey Jarman, Abberley Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone


Signs of cabbies’ hypocrisy Dear Sir – I have just read in the Downs Mail South edition how Dennis Conyon and his “cabbies” are furious about the council U-turn at the High Street, after they cam- paigned for signs to inform drivers of the prohibition. Is this not a touch of hypocrisy? At the junction of Mill Street/Bishop’s Way/Palace Avenue there is a bus lane from Mill Street (All Saints’ side) into Mill Street (Robins and Day). The sign states this is a bus and cycle lane and does not authorise taxis to travel north across this junction. Does this stop the taxi drivers? No, it does not. How can cabbies be upset with a decision


that enables drivers to use amore convenient route, when they are continuing to flout the law and use the convenience of the bus lane? Mr Thom, Coxheath


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