News
downsmail.co.uk £50m bypass scheme agreed Continued from page one
North, has re-emphasised the finan- cial obstacles the project faces. The KCC leader says there would only be a total of £10m funding available for a scheme that would cost more than £50m. At the end of a two-hour debate in
which it was agreed to press ahead with the idea, Cllr Carter said: “We can't promise a transport plan that can't be delivered and gives devel- opers an opportunity to build more homes. “Don't make decisions based on
total uncertainty. We need to find out how much the true cost is.” However, chairman of the board
Cllr David Burton said:“Wemake a list of desires and then find out how theymight be achieved.” The board agreed to back an ITS
that includes the Leeds-Langley by- pass, increased bus frequencies of up to every 10 minutes and a 50% rise in long-stay town centre park- ing charges. The proposal for a park and ride service in Lintonwas removed. The chosen strategy (DS3) could see an increase of 7% in vehicle travel times from 2014 to 2031, which com- pared favourably to 30% in the DS1 option. The latter included a range of small-scale junction improve-
ments and the development of the bypass. The sustainable package (DS2),
which included improved bus fre- quencies, Linton park and ride, en- hanced walking and cycling facilities and increased parking charges, would have seen a rise of just 3%, according to consultant Amey, who was commissioned by Maidstone Council and KCC to un- dertake the study. However, coun- cillors were sceptical about this finding. Cllr Annabelle Blackmore, leader of the Conservative group on Maid-
stone Council, said: “The assump- tion has been made that 8% of peo- ple will have a modal shift and not drive, which is a possibility in urban areas but not in rural areas. “People will not cycle from Head-
corn toMaidstone every single day; not from Staplehurst or Marden. It is not practical or real. “We currently subsidise park and
ride by £500,000 a year. What sub- sidy would we have to provide to prop this one up? It is not sustain- able financially and there is not the political will for park and ride.We should look for greater collabora-
tion over bus services.” The other option, do minimum
(DM), included little more than the already-planned towncentre bridge gyratory scheme and would have seen a rise of 38% in travel times. Cllr Gary Cooke, KCC member
forMaidstone South East, said: “All things have to be funded and we need to work on that, but it is im- portant there is provision for a relief road for the residents who live here and those whowillmove here.” The board's recommendation will
go in the draft local plan document that will go out for consultation.
Winery adds Farleigh pub to portfolio
AWARD-winning vineyard and winery Hush Heath Estate is to transform a pub inWest Farleigh. The Tickled Trout, once called The Chequers, has been purchased by the Staplehurst estate which hopes to cre- ate a fine fish restaurant and boutique hotel on the site, opposite Smith’s Hall. The pub has been closed for sev- eral months.Work is now underway renovating six first- floor bedrooms and the restaurant menu will showcase some of Hush Heath’s finest wines and champagnes. Richard Balfour-Lynn, owner of Hush Heath Hospital-
ity, which recently opened the Goudhurst Inn, confirmed the pub was planning a major refurbishment, with a view to opening as a free house before Christmas. Hush Heath’s Balfour sparkling wine was the first Eng-
lish sparkling wine to be served on first-class British Air- ways flights worldwide and is also enjoyed by travellers aboard Belmond British Pullman trains (formerly known as the Orient Express). The company recently signed a contract with Saga Shipping and Travel Retail to supply Saga’s exclusive Britannia Club members.
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