downsmail.co.uk Smart traffic plans


Dear Sir – In the last copy of the Downs Mail you had a leer from Malcolm Bulpi regarding our traffic plans. He stated what a lot of toshwas wrien, which surprised us as his comments bear no relation to what our report has in it. The shared spacewe have commented on regarding the Wheatsheaf is based on a similar situation in Poynton in Cheshire and is not linked to Ashford in anyway.A roundabout at Linton crossroads is being investigated by Kent Highway Services and with the amount of land available there it could work with a higher degree of safety than at present. We are NOTin favour of a park and ride


at Linton crossroads and suggest it should be central between the A274 and A229 to allow buses to use the A274, which has more options regarding bus lanes etc. We are glad Mr Bulpi agrees with us regarding the need for a southern relief road. May I make a polite suggestion that in future he reads our report in detail before making further comments. Smart is pleased to note that the report


from the Joint Transport Board includes nearly all our suggestions in their ideas for actions for the future. Sean Carter, chair of Smart


Labour backing Scarab


Dear Sir –As Labour councillor for Fant, I recently visited the Scarab factory in Marden and saw an excellent manufacturing industry which contributes large sums to our local economy every year. However, its future expansion plans are


being damaged by the restrictions of its current site. The firm has four separate buildings which do not allow for an efficient production line. This is why I and the Maidstone Labour


AMOTORCYCLE was stolen from outside the owner’s property in Newbury Avenue, Allington. A flatwas broken into in Lesley Place


andwas left in disarray. The wing mirror of a car parked in Buckland Roadwas damaged. Youths set off fire alarms in St Peter’s


Street and caused other minor damage at a commercial premises. CCTV footagewas being viewed. The wing mirror of a carwas damaged in


St Peter’s Street. A property in Buckland Road was entered and computer equipment and jewellerywere among items taken. A radio and sat navwere stolen from an insecure van parked in Terminus Road, Fant. Parts were taken from a bicycle in a communal area at a block of flats in Hart Street. The number plateswere stolen from a


vehicle parked in Lower Fant Road. A window box was removed from awall


in Tarragon Road. A Daihatsu parked in Oakwood Road


was broken into and its radiowas stolen. The wing mirrorwas taken from a


vehicle and the doorwas dented in Kingsley Road. The window of an office in Pudding


Lanewas broken. A rear bedroom windowwas cracked at


Dangerous drain


Dear Sir – This damaged drain is on the main Loose Road opposite the speed camera travelling towards Suon Road. If a motorbike or bicycle hit this it could cause a terrible accident. The council should


Party support Scarab in its desire to move to a new site next to Junction 8 of the M20. The Labour group on the council has been encouraging the larger parties to work to enable a sensitive development to proceed at Junction 8. If allowed to relocate, Scarab will be able to expand to create more quality jobs which Maidstone needs, and reduce the need for all its raw materials and finished goods to be driven through Maidstone and on local rural roads. The current plan for the development at Junction 8 offers Scarab the opportunity to move and expand on a site which is fit for its purpose, but also has designed into it significant environmental mitigation measures. These include giving the public access to a three-hectare space and giving long-term protection to a further seven hectares of new woodland. No plan can entirely eliminate any impact on a greenfield area, but this one tries its best to do so. I would urge local communities to engage in discussions with Scarab to see the benefits it brings to our borough. Cllr Paul Harper, Labour councillor for Fant


repair the roads instead of paying out redundancy. Jim Burnham, by email


Parents parking culprits


Dear Sir – Iwas left somewhat open- mouthed by your article “Parents urge drivers to take more care at schools”. The implication is that there are two groups of people – parents (good/wholesome) and drivers (bad/dangerous). Unfortunately it’s not quite that simple.


It’s parents racing the cherubs to school who will cause an accident. It’s the parents themselves who need to


take more care. Travel around Barming Primary School and you will see the most inconsiderate parking, which is not only anti-social but also extremely dangerous, as it hinders visibility and movement. If you cannot park safely with all four wheels on the road, you should not be parking there. The pavement is not the road. It is very easy to understand. Pavements also were not designed to take theweight of vehicles, which is why slabs are broken. If the children had some supervision


whilstwalking to and from school, the chances of an accident might be reduced. Finally, to the delightful woman who,


upon being asked to remove her vehicle from across my drive, shouted:“Well, are you going out then?” – I might just come down and block your drive thisweekend and shout “You’re not going out, are you?” S Kerry, Barming


Clear up dog mess


Dear Sir – Please can people clear up after their dogs? Yet again there is dog mess in Barming in Maryland Drive. Children are walking the mess into school. Sarah Brooks, by email


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police


a home in Tilling Close. An ignition coilwas damaged on a moped while itwas parked in a car park in King Street. A Mini parked in Melville Road was scratched on the nearside door. The shed of a property in Lower Road


was broken into and an off-road motorcyclewas stolen. Two windowswere damaged at a community centre in George Street but nothing was taken. A bike was stolen from outside a pub in


Bank Street. A motorcyclewas stolen from a car park


in St Faith’s Street. Five pints of milkwere taken from the


front doorstep of a house in St Philip’s Avenue. Milk and breadwere taken from the


front of a home in MeadowWalk. CCTV footage shows a man in his early 20s, about 5ft 9in, of slim build, with short light brown hair. A Land Roverwas stolen from Quarry


Road and later recovered. A vehicle had its wing mirror removed


Maidstone Town June 2015 33


while parked in Postley Road. The number plate was removed from a


vehicle in King Street. Security lights were damaged in Staceys


Street. A vehicle in Chatham Road had its bodywork damaged. A car parked in Shortlands Green, Park


Woodwas broken into. Keys to a vehice in York Roadwere


stolen and the vehiclewas driven away. It has since been recovered. Various itemswere stolen from a vehicle


in Surrey Road. A shed in the back garden of a home in


Holtye Crescentwas broken into, but nothing was taken.


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