Village lorry ban could be axed


AWEIGHT restriction on HGVs using roads in and around Yalding could be reversed. A temporary 7.5-tonne limit was intro-


duced by KCC earlier this year following a 15-year fight to get HGVs barred from using dangerous and narrow roads in the area. Yalding Parish Council presented a 570-


name petition to theMaidstone Joint Trans- portation Board in support of the restriction and KCC was due to assess feedback at the end of November, before deciding whether to make it permanent. But business owners in nearby Marden, which lies outside the exclusion zone, say their livelihoods are being crippled by extra costs incurred as a result of the ban. KCC is now being asked to scrap the scheme. Businesses representing more than 600 employees aired their views to KCC traffic manager Andy Corcoran during a heated meeting organised in Marden by the NRBF business forum. Mr Corcoran said a final decision on


whether or not to make the scheme perma- nent would have to be reached by KCC by June 2014 at the latest. But business owners, who claimed they


were losing money “hand over fist”, said this would be too late for many of them. Marden has more than 200 businesses,


many located in the industrial estates of Pattenden Lane. Mike Taylor from theWater Wellbeing Group, said he had had to buy an extra vehicle and take on an additional driver as a result of the extra hours his fleet incurs avoiding the exclusion zone.He said the ban, introduced in February, had al- ready cost his business £30,000 and put an additional 11 miles on each journey. Yalding Parish Council argued that not


only is it concerned for the impact on resi- dents, but also for the village’s Grade I listed medieval bridge. But Patrick Burke from PJ Burke (Kent)


Ltd, said: “Historically, they don’t want lor- ries going over the bridge. They need to


THEKing’sHeadatStaplehurst hasbeennamedPubof theYear in the 2013 Shepherd Neame Pub Awards. Licensees from 15 of the brewery’s 350 pubs in the South


East received awards for various aspects of running a success- ful pub. JudgescommendedKing’sHead licenseesRobertandNicola


Tallon forachieving10%annualgrowth for thepast three years, boosting beer sales and offering great levels of service. Robert said: “We aremadeup.Mywifewas in floods of tears


whenwe collected the award.” The couple have been at the King’s Head for five years.They


are pictured receiving their award from Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame at an awards dinner in Ashford.


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look at parking in the village – yellow lines would solve many of their problems.” Maidstone Council leader Chris Garland,


who was also at the meeting, believed the trial should be halted as amatter of urgency. “This is a fairly invidious imposition that has been thrust upon you,” he said. Mr Corcoran said the ban could be lifted within two to three weeks and said he would report to KCC on the strength of feeling. Cllr Paulina Stockell, who helped set up


the trial with her member highways grant, said: “This is purely an experimental scheme which we thought would do good. Clearly, it is not going to work and I will go back with Andy Corcoran to the cabinet member and try to wrap it up. It will be un- done as quickly as we can do it.” As the Downs Mail went to press, Mr Cor-


coran and KCC’s cabinet member for trans- port David Brazier were on annual leave so could not confirmwhether the order would be reversed.


Couple delighted to win pub of the year award Fatal accident


ALADDINGFORD motorist has appeared in court accused of causing the death of a local businessman and parish coun- cillor while driving over the drink-drive limit. Liam Davis (26), of Cleaves-


land, has been charged with causing the death of 73-year old Ronald Berry, from Brenchley, in Queen Street last December. He will appear before Maid-


stone Crown Court again in September.


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