downsmail.co.uk The truth of the storey


Dear Sir – In the recent Malling edition there is an article referring to protesting Wateringbury villagers with an artist’s impression of a two-storey building. The Greenstead proposal is for a four-


storey building and it is the size of the buildingwe are protesting about. Your article conveys a message which is unfaithful to the truth and doesn't truly represent the issue in hand. If the proposalwas for a two-storey building I don't think there would be much protest. Peter Farr, The Orpines,Wateringbury


Misleading picture


Dear Sir – The picture in your article “Villagers protest over pan for care units", about the Abbeyfield Kent new 55 flat extra care unit, is of a two-storey building. The proposed building atWateringbury


is four storeys tall, a key reason for the widespread objections. It will be the largest building in the village. The top floor will look down into many residents bedrooms. The picture youwere given is most misleading. Dr Bob Bowie, The Orpines, Maidstone Road,Wateringbury


Support junior doctors


Dear Sir –As senior doctors who have worked in Kent for many years,we write to express our grave concern about the Government’s intention to impose a damaging and dangerous working contract on our junior colleagues.


Dr Paul Hobday


So-called “junior” doctors make up all doctors from every specialty in hospitals, except consultants, and are the backbone of medical care. Without them there would be no expert healthcare for patients and the


service would be paralysed. Sadly, Government ministers do not


seem to recognise this. If they did, they would not be trying to force on these dedicated doctors “normal” working hours of 7am-10pm six days aweek with the added insult of a 30% pay cut. In the same


Contact our team ...


Stephen Eighteen Editor stephen@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231


Diane Nicholls


Assistant editor diane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 232


Jane Shotliff Journalist


jane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Dawn Kingsford


Journalist dawn@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233


Cathedral musician to give organ recital at church celebration


THEorgan atAylesford church will be played by a musician from Can- terbury Cathedral during a week- end to celebrate its restoration. David Newsholme will give a


recital on the 150-year-old instrument, which needed £50,000 of work, at 3pm on Sunday, November 15. Michael Keays, the organ-master at


26 Malling November 2015


St Peter and St Paul’s church for 30 years, will also give a free talk and recital at 3pmon Saturday,November 14.


The Forster & Andrews organ was restored by FH Browne in Ash, near Canterbury, with the work including the removal of its old cotton covered wiring.A 10-level memory processor,


additional pistons and new electric key contacts have also been added. The money was raised by villagers


who undertook a number of spon- sored challenges, including a 24-hour hunger strike, along with donations amounting to more than £18,000. Michael said: “This is a great op- portunity to see what the appeal was


spent on and to hear the organ in the hands of a cathedral organist.” Tickets for Sunday’s concert are £9,


which includes refreshments. They are available from the church office, from Michael, or on the door. Satur- day’s event is free. Further recitals are planned for


2016.


shameful package, juniors entering general practice could earn up to 40% less. This is not only unjust, but idiotic in view of the lack of GPs. Safeguards against working dangerous hours are to be removed and maternity pay affected. Wewere told bankers needed their high


pay and bonuses to stop them leaving the country. Too many junior doctors are already leaving the UK because of Government policies towards the NHS, and this contract will accelerate the exodus. Double standards indeed. We support junior doctors fully in their


fight to retain safe working conditions. Tired doctors make mistakes. Patients and the NHS will undoubtedly be put at risk by these cynical proposals. The great British public needs to lobby


MPs and show support for their doctors. Everyone will need their services one day. Dr Paul Hobday, Dr Karen Poerton, Dr Ali Abbas, Dr K Bala, Dr Jonathan Goodman, Dr Roger Hart, Dr David Tod, Dr Carol Jones, Dr Akbar Soorma, Dr Amit Saha, Dr S. Renkema, Dr R Blundell, DrM Lile, DrMIronmonger, Dr J Dennison, Dr P Hanrath, Dr G Singh, Dr S Jones, Dr P Gildeh, Dr P Jones, Dr T Cantor, DrM South, DrMHeber, Dr G Hagan, Dr H Terrell, DrA Jones, DrMMoss, Dr N Pile


Town at saturation point


Dear Sir – I wonder how long it will take those who represent us in local government to recognise that Maidstone reached saturation point years ago, as far as house building is concerned? The existing infrastructure is creaking


everywhere you look. Strains exist on healthcare, education,water and public services. Unless and until housing development is halted while long overdue aention is given to the infrastructure problems, the town will surely grind to an inevitable halt. Traffic problems, particularly in the rush


hours and school leaving periods, are chronic, with traffic stuck in jams, polluting the atmosphere for those who live anywhere near main roads and rat runs. We know there are no road improvements in the pipeline apart from tinkering as there is no money available. For as long as through-traffic, particularly from the south, has no option other than to go through the town centre,we will be saddled with the problem. There areways to alleviate maers.We


all know that during school holiday periods, many traffic problems disappear. Many schools in the town serve a catchment area which is probably within a one-mile radius of them. Is it too much to ask that childrenwalk to and from school, rather than be taken by car? I know of several parents who live within a few hundred yards of their children’s school, who take them by car. Not only does it add to the traffic on the roads, but then they cause obstruction to traffic by inconsiderate parking as near as possible to the school. Walking would also have some health benefits. If KCC and Maidstone Council cannot


afford to spend money on the infrastructure, what else can be done to reduce traffic in the town? I would suggest two measures, used together. First would be a peak hour/school time congestion charge and the second would be an improvement in public transport. The first would not be popular, but trying to persuade people out of their cars does not seem to work. There needs to be an alternative, with the congestion charge being used to help pay for the cost of seing it up and to subsidise bus services to outlying areas. Ifwe cannot provide more road space outside the town for through traffic,we need to reduce the level of traffic trying to use what is there now. In that respect, it is just as important to consider the health of those who live in the town, particularly towards its centre, who have to breathe in unhealthy levels of traffic fumes three times a day during the workingweek. David Hacke, ParkWay, Maidstone


Town losing identity


Dear Sir – The concern of Maidstone people over the mass housing projects now underway and the astonishing neglect of the inevitable infrastructure problems which will follow is verywell-founded. In addition, Maidstone is visibly losing


its unique identity as a real county town and the ancient capital of Kent. If it is not to become just another suburban mass of housing, cars, choked roads and mile-long traffic jams, central government pressure for yet more and more bricks and mortar must be resisted. If it is not, real places like Otham, Bearsted, Boughton Monchelsea and Loose will exist only in memory. G French, Marion Crescent, Maidstone


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