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Looking through election fog MailMarks


THE fog clears a lile within the Maidstone election scene – but parliamentary and borough council results after the May 7 count are still tough to call. National opinion polls suggest minds are focused on the two main parties and the important choice between Labour and Ed Miliband and Conservatives and David Cameron. If votes increasingly polarise towards the


main parties – and the nationalist parties are a race apart – a key question is what will be left for minority parties. Latest polls suggest Ukip, who took the


most votes in last year’s European elections in Maidstone borough and won four seats on the borough council, peaked in 2014. The big question in the Maidstone and The Weald constituency is: How many of these votes will hold in May? If all, there could be a Ukip MP. But other very significant factors now


arise.We will vote for a government to run Britain for the next five years – not for members of an increasingly unpopular European government which aracts a protest vote. Ukip will be fielding a largely unknown candidate, Eddie Powell, against high- profile ConservativeMP Helen Grant, with a remarkable first term including ministerial appointments culminating in her current role as sports minister and also a powerful constituency commitment. Ukip willwant at least to deprive Lib


Dem candidate Jasper Gerard of second place. On the strength of the low Lib Dem vote in Maidstone Euro elections – and forecast of a serious decline nationally – the final positioning will be fascinating. Labour fortunes have picked up a lile in Maidstone during the past three years and they could make the top three. I ammore hopeful now of a cleaner election with the bale rightly based on manifestos and policies rather than silly and inaccurate aempts at character assassination. Soon after his selection, Jasper Gerardwent on the record to say


Facts on road survey


Dear Sir – Thank you for taking the trouble to follow up my “one-woman” surveys regarding vehicle movements alongWare Street, and also relating to the ransom strip cuttingAverenches Road in two. Regarding KCC leader Paul Carter's sugges-


tion that some of the 907 vehicles I surveyed on Sunday, January 25, might have been a conse- quence of drivers still usingWare Street follow- ing a recent Operation Stack, this argumentwas negated by the second survey I conducted at the same location on Sunday, February 22 when no Operation Stack had occurred. This resulted in 818 vehicles – 403 towards J7


and 415 heading towards the village. Anyone walking alongWare Street takes their life in their hands trying to cross by Chapel Lane. The islands further along past The Bell Inn are


in the wrong place, as to reach them you still have to cross by Chapel Lane. I have no vested interest in the removal of the ransom strip blocking Averenches Road other thancommonsense and altruism. I do not drive, andwalk to Tesco to do my shopping.


36 Maidstone East April 2015


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


General election 2010


MAIDSTONE AND THE WEALD Conservative Helen Grant 48% Lib Dem Peter Carroll 36% Labour Rav Seeruthun 9.7% Ukip Gareth Kendal 3.3% Green Stuart Jeffery 1.3%


FAVERSHAM AND MID KENT Conservative Hugh Robertson 56.2% Lib Dem Dave Naghi 19.6% Labour Ashok Rehal 16.6% Ukip Sarah Larkins 3.7% Green Tim Valentine 1.9%


that if Mr Bean had a wife she would be Helen Grant. I suspect he is much wiser nowadays. The other main local constituency,


Faversham and Mid Kent, looked straight forward until Tory Sir Hugh Robertson retired in January. He built up a very big majority and the Tories will not expect the new candidate to hold it all. But it will be a major surprise if they fail in this stronghold.


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Council set to stay hung MAIDSTONE Council elections are


even tougher to call. Eighteen of the 55 seats will be contested and the Tories will need to gain four to restore overall control. They will dowell to gain even a couple –


I cannot see four – so expect probably three more years with neither Lib Dems nor Tories in overall control. The Tories fared poorly in last year’s elections, with Ukip the main beneficiaries, gaining four seats. Key factors thenwere the boom in Ukip popularity at the time of


I oftenwalk through the strip to go shopping,


as the road is so quiet, yet it is a much wider road thanWare Street andwas clearly built with traffic in mind. The removal of the strip might increaseWare Street traffic pastmyhouse, but it would reduce congestion at theNewCut round- about and shorten journeys. Jean Beaton, Hill Brow, Bearsted


Residentswere consulted


Dear Sir –As a resident of Wytherling Close on Bearsted Park I would likeAverenches Road to stay closed. The resident ofWare Street is not a resident of Bearsted Park and this is why she hasn’t been consulted. Judith Ming, Wytherling Close, Bearsted


Speed measures needed


Dear Sir –We agree with the story regarding speeding traffic onWare Street. It is essential that traffic calming plus speed restrictions need to be put in place as soon as possible. However,we disagree entirely regarding


the Euro elections and deep concerns across the borough as the Conservative-led council tried to meet anticipated government housing targets for approval of a much-needed local plan. This time the Ukip flag seems unlikely to


wave so strongly and the Tories will get traditional supporters active as they also vote in the general election. But that is no guarantee of Tory crosses on both ballot papers. The furore over the local plan continues.


No onewants the level of development proposed for the next 15 years or so, especially as supporting adequate infrastructure seems unlikely. But national political housing pressures seem sure from whichever government rules. Locally this is a major headache for both


the Tories and Lib Dems (who are themselves split over where this development should be planned). It is a topic that is not going away, whoever is in power nationally and locally, and as the Lib Dems now hold the vital Maidstone planning commiee chair they cannot pass the buck on decision-making. Seven results towatch out for: Coxheath


and Hunton; Fant; Harrietsham and Lenham; Loose; Shepway North; South and Staplehurst.


Let there be light UNLESS you fancy a “Black Hole of


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Calcua” experience I recommend you take your torch when visiting Maidstone’s Odeon cinema. My wife and I and two grandchildren


were left to find our designated seats in just about total darkness between programmes. Itwas tough enough to see any seats, let alone to find non-illuminated row leers and seat numbers. At best itwas inconsiderate and worrying – at worst a health and safety issue. The manager did find me after a protest and apologised for lack of aention.


the opening up ofAverenches Road. This road is used towalk children to St John’s Primary School and two day nurseries. There is a play area on the corner of Fiwilliam Road andAverenches Road, which would become dangerous for the young children who play there all year round. This road would become a rat run. The main problem isWare Street and the need for traffic calming. Joe Casey, by email


Traffic could increase


Dear Sir -As a previous resident of Hill Brow and now living in Bearsted Park I used towalk alongWare Street to Bearsted station on a daily basis. I agree with Jean Beaton, the volume of


traffic has increased dramatically and far too many drivers exceed the 30mph limit. To open upAverenches Road is not an


answer. As a long straight road it has all the potential of becoming a race track. The additional trafficwanting to join or cross the busyWare Street would increase,


Comment


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