downsmail.co.uk


A camera onworrying times MailMarks


 I AM sad and worried that Maidstone


Council is now looking at another major fi- nancial saving by cutting back seriously on the number of CCTV cameras covering the town centre. They werealongtimecoming–notwith-


out controversy over ‘spying’ – and their sub- sequent expansion and operation were carefully considered. But they were quickly accepted, especially


after several early successes. Nowthe council, facedwith having tomake


yetmore savings as Government support con- tinues to diminish, is targeting many of the cameras. Some may produce less results than others – but it is impossible to judge which ones will really hit the jackpots. I feel Maidstone is a much more secure


place by day and night with these cameras watching over us. It is yet another sad episode in the long


story of financial difficulties and severe cuts since the last Labour Chancellor of the Ex-


Roads just can’t cope


FURTHER to the articles on pages 8 and 38 of the November 2016 Downs Mail, can I point out that KCC Highways have created a Leeds & Langley bypass by upgrading Willington Street road surface, from C road status to anA road status and placing a weight restriction on the B2163 – a cheap fix in comparison to a full bypass. The increase in the flow of traffic


between the A20 and the A274 in both directions has risen dramatically since completion of the upgrade, to the point that just recently, two traffic sensors had been installed, I assume by KCC, to count the volume of traffic flowing along Willington Street. After a week they disappeared, I assume through overload, as they must be aware of the huge increase that has occurred since completion of this work. At rush hour times, it is not unusual for


the tailback of traffic to stretch from the Madginford traffic lights back to the A274. I asked KCC Highways when they were upgradingWillington Street, if they were proposing to alter the road layout at the Madginford/Mote House traffic lights, by introducing a second lane northbound to release the traffic queuing behind traffic turning right into Madginford and was told there have been no accidents at this location, so there would be no consideration for any alterations. It can take up to 20 minutes to get from Northumberland Road to the A20 Ashford Road in the morning or afternoon rush hours, a journey that takes approximately four minutes in normal circumstances. With the two housing developments on


the A274 at Park Wood, and there are other developments to follow which will eventually link Langley to Maidstone, the traffic flow can only increase, puing pressure on all the surrounding roads. How long will it be before the last two


park and rides are closed for housing developments? How many cars did Siingbourne Road park and ride keep out of Maidstone?


46 Maidstone Christmas 2016


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


chequer left the note that the country’s money had run out. I will never forgive Gordon Brown and his Labour government for finan- cial mismanagement. The pain for some is still growing and for


most there is a fall in quality of life. I increas- ingly feel this in and around Maidstone and it is getting tougher. Very worrying times.





Soldiers’ farewell I have very mixed emotions about the


news Maidstone will lose our military pres- ence in about 10 years. There is a long and proud history (229


years) includingmore recently the RoyalWest Kents, Royal Engineers and Gurkhas. I have


Is it not time that Maidstone Borough Council took their heads out of the sand and looked at the overall picture and realised that the town’s infrastructure can't cope with all the proposed housing developments that are being applied for? Rob Leach, via email


Tell us about relief road


WE SHOULD welcome the the straigh- forward common sense that Cllr David Burton speaks when it comes to the sensible way forward on transport in Maidstone. He says that the Joint Transportation Board (JTB) has three options for a south Maidstone relief road and should pick one and “get on with it”. Hear hear! Now we need to have a public meeting to discuss these in detail. But I suppose, having waited several decades for a solution, a few more years will not make a lot of difference. But since it is the decisions on housing made by the borough council which impact on the county council-run roads, one suspects it will be the laer which suffers more politically. R Jackson, via email


Relief road a long way off


THERE has been much recent coverage about a so-called relief road between the A20 and the A274 in your publication and others. If there are, as you report, three options - why on earth do we not see the detail of them? The problem, I suspect, is there is no money to build it without carpeting the borough with yet more houses. Or a cynical view would be that the Joint Transportation Board’s vague plan is just that, designed to fob everyone off until after the county council election next year and the whole uncomfortable, troublesome issue will die a death for another two decades. Don’t be fooled, folks, this relief road


isn’t going to happen. But the time and place to express your frustration is in the





very fond memories of all the tremendous support given as the finishing point for the massive Kent Messenger 50-mile overnight walks in the 1960s. In so manyways they will be missed. But their departurewill open new opportu-


nities for valuable land so close to the town centre and I suspect this will lead to a more prosperous and socially-cohesiveMaidstone. Maidstone Council has had its eye on this


site for some time as a development area. That wish will come true.


Thank you Tony Our thanks are due to Tony Jones who


took over the really hot seat as chairman of Maidstone and TunbridgeWellsNHShospital trust not too long after the C-difficile infection scandal saw the death of around 100 patients and the demise of the former chairman and chief executive Rose Gibb. He led the team which restored faith in our local hospitals - no easy task.


polling booth next May and every election after it. Voter power is all the rage! HWarren, via email


Music not the worst ‘noise’


REFERENCE the Ramblin’ Man Fair festival noise issue, I amalso a local resident to Mote Park and am thrilled that we have such huge music acts appearing in our back yard. I have been to both events with my


family and this year, my (then) four- month-old grandchild also aended (yes, of course we used ear defenders, sunglasses, shelter and sunscreen for the baby and kept a suitable distance from the main stage!). I also pay my council tax and am very


happy for a proportion to fund the upkeep and development of the lovely park. I understand this will undoubtedly benefit from events staged in the park and while I also am affected by noise, traffic and influx of people, I do feel there should be a bit of “live and let live”. Ramblin’ Man is only in the park for two


days a year, finishes on time and doesn’t go on through to the early hours. The site is vacated quickly and the only noise I’ve ever heard while leaving is from security staff bellowing through loud-hailers! By contrast to the seemingly mild inconvenience to Mr Evenden in his lofty abode, throughout the year my family and I regularly put up with blaring sirens from emergency services vehicles at all hours of the night and day, fireworks being let off regardless of whether or not it’s Guy Fawkes’ night, noisy revellers leaving town centre pubs, bars, etc in the middle of the night, yapping dogs night and day. I could go on and on. I can’t help thinking the various complaints are simply about the genre of music. Would they also complain about the volume if it were Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture with accompanied sound effects? I doubt it. By the way, when you’re in the venue, the music volume is not unduly loud and


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