News
downsmail.co.uk Plan to boost traffic flow in town
THE latest details of roadworks to “improve the Maidstone experi- ence” have been revealed to retail- ers and businesses. Representatives from the Town Centre Management group heard that the £5.74m project to create the Maidstone bridges gyratory system – creating a better flow of traffic to all parts of town around the river – will start in May. Work to upgrade the busy traffic
hub, serving a massive 5,800 vehi- cles every morning and 5,700 in the evening rush hour – should be fin-
Health day
MORE than 150 people attended a respiratory awareness day for pa- tients with lung conditions held by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The event at the academic centre
at Maidstone Hospital was organ- ised by consultant respiratory physician Dr Syed Arshad Husain, with the help of the hospital’s re- search unit. The event was opened by the Deputy Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Derek Butler. The trust’s chief executive, Glenn Douglas, and medical director Dr Paul Sigston also attended.
ished by next Christmas and will reduce queues across the whole junction by about 15% and 20% at each end of the day. The reportwas presented by Rus-
sell Boorman, KCC’s project man- ager; Maidstone Council’s economic development officer Abi Lewis and James Pallett, from civil engineering firm Amey. Retailers heard that contractors
would work extended hours and seven days a week, where appro- priate. Road closures would be made overnight and access to the
High Street unaffected where pos- sible, to limit disruption. However, town centre manage-
ment members were concerned about the benefits in light of ongo- ing development in the area. The project team assured them that a 15% increase in traffic had been taken into account. The team also addressed concerns about pedes- trian access to the riverside and the closure of some subways on the High Street side. Theywere also assured that vari- able and fixed message signs
would be used on the M20 and across Maidstone from March to di- rect traffic. The work is being paid for by
South East Local Enterprise Part- nership (£4.6m) and Maidstone Council (£1.14m). The public will get a chance to
view the designs and ask questions at a gazebo in FremlinWalk on Jan- uary 19. A dedicated website is also to be
set up to receive any enquiries about the work at
www.maid-
stone.gyratory@
kent.gov.uk.
Lydia is world champion
LYDIA Kelley (11), from East Farleigh has brought a gold medal back from Germany where she represented England in the World Tap Championships. Lydia, who has been dancing at Hilton Hall Dance
Academy in Maidstone since she was three, and her dance partner Harvey Shulver, took the first place in the children’s duo tap class. The pair are pictured left. The pupil at Maidstone Girls’ Grammar School was
selected for the England team in September and has been practising with Harvey since then. Her mum Bev said: “Lydia and Harvey raised their game and performed out of their skins in the finals. To stand on the central podium, watch the English flag being raised and participate in our national anthem was an enormous experience. It has been an incredible few days for us all.”
01622 902005
www.downsmail.co.uk 8 Maidstone East January 2016
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