News New school
needs backers ASPONSOR is being sought to run the new 420-place primary school on the Langley Park development off Sutton Road, Maidstone. The two-form entry school for
four- to 11-year-oldswas approved in February 2014 as part of Taylor Wimpey’s 600-home development. It is set to open in September 2016. The county council says the building project, along with new homes approved for the area in the past year, means the school is needed to cope with rising pupil numbers. It will also have 15 places for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders. KCC wants to hear from anyone interested in running the school as an academy or a free school by De- cember 2. The education secretary will decide who runs the school by the end of March 2015. A spokesman for KCC said the school, to the east of Bircholt Road and Brishing Road in Park Wood and west of Langley Park Driving Range, will eventually have 14 classes. A pre-school is also planned aswell as a community fa- cility with a meeting room, kitchen, changing room and shower. To comment, email
school.consulta-
tions@kent.gov.uk.
downsmail.co.uk
Commuters hit hard on annual rail fares
LOCAL commuters are being charged higher rail fares than their counterparts elsewhere in the South East, according to figures. Jasper Gerard, the Lib Dem’s prospective parliamentary candi- date for Maidstone and TheWeald, described the fares as a “rip off”, with an annual season ticket into central London for the 39-mile jour- ney from Maidstone East costing £4,080 (£105 per mile) compared with £3,688 (£97 per mile) from Farnham, Surrey, 38 miles from the capital. It is even more expensive for commuters in Staplehurst – 40 miles from London Bridge – where the annual charge is £4,572 (£114 per mile) In Bearsted, 42 miles from Lon-
don Victoria, a season ticket costs £4,144 (£99 per mile), compared with £3,504 (£85 per mile) from Burgess Hill,West Sussex, 41 miles from the capital. In West Malling, 34 miles from London, the charge is £3,996 (£117
per mile), while a season ticket from Camberley, Surrey, a 35-mile jour- ney, is £3,488 (£100 per mile). Mr Gerard said: “Fares fromwest
Kent in general are 20% more ex- pensive than from other Home Counties.”
Jasper Gerard
He has now written to the transport minister Patrick McLough- lin asking why Southeastern had its franchise re- newed when the rail company came close to bottom in a
customer satisfaction survey. The franchise was this year extended until 2018. Liberal Democrat councillors
have asked Southeastern to provide details of how they intend to im- prove services at a meeting of Maid- stone Council’s scrutiny committee. Tonbridge and MallingMPSir John Stanley is also campaigning for lower fares.
Season tickets:
cost per mile Burgess Hill,West Sussex –£85 LENHAM – £88 HARRIETSHAM – £92 HOLLINGBOURNE – £95 Farnham, Surrey – £97
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – £98
BEARSTED – £99 Camberley, Surrey – £100 MAIDSTONE EAST – £105 BARMING – £108 HEADCORN – £108 EAST MALLING – £114 STAPLEHURST – £114 MARDEN– £115 WEST MALLING – £117
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