News
Funeral for race victim
THE funeral of popular Francis "Titch" O'Sullivan has taken place in Leeds village. The service, at- tended by hundreds of friends, family and colleagues, was held at St Nicholas Church in Lower Street. Mr O'Sullivan (52) died when he
fell from his buggy during the Sut- ton Valence pram race on New Year's Day. The Langley resident, who often
served behind the bar in the George Inn in Leeds, was riding on a Spit- fire-themed vehicle when it flipped over. He sustained severe injuries and died later in hospital. The father of three had served in
the army as a tank driver. No decision has been made as to
the future of the charity pram race. Floral tributes have been left at the George Inn since the accident.
Appeal fails
A PLAN for 20 houses at Harriet- sham has been rejected on appeal – for the second time. The parish council has consistently objected to the application for homes on land south of Court Lodge Road, on highway grounds. Parish council chairman Cllr Eddie Powell said: “The parish council is delighted that this will not go ahead.”
downsmail.co.uk
Passenger takes Arriva gripe to commissioner
THEcomplaints log kept byArriva is to be investigated after a bus user from Bearsted decided to take his complaint to the Office of the Traf- fic Commissioner. PeterWiles says he wrote toArriva
on several occasions about the late arrival or no-show of the company’s Number 19 bus. Frustrated by the lack of improvement, MrWiles con- tacted the Traffic Commissioner and has been told the Driver andVehicle Services Agency will investigate. Mr Wiles (72) now hopes other
users who pick up the service at stops including Cross Keys and Grove Green will write to the com- mission about the disappointing hourly service. The former deputy head of Aylesford School uses the bus daily to meet friends over a pint in Maidstone. He said “This is an hourly service, not like the four serv- ing areas like Park Wood, and 40% of the time it doesn’t arrive or is late.” Headds: “If Arriva says it is going
to run a service it should stick to it.” The commissioner holds a register
of bus services, which must be run “efficiently, reliably and in accor-
PeterWiles (far left, pictured with other disgruntled passengers) says the number 19 bus from Bearsted is often late or doesn’t show up at all
dance with the registered particu- lars”.
Commissioner Sarah Bell said:
“The window of tolerance when as- sessing the running of a registered service is whether the service has run at all and whether it has been run no more than two minutes early and no more than five minutes late. The DVSA they will check the oper- ator’s customer complaints log to make sure that it is current and cor- rect.”
Arriva said it had no record of any complaint fromMrWiles, in spite of MrWiles handing us responses from two separate Arriva customer serv- ice advisors apologising for cancel-
lations due to a “faulty seat” on one occasion and a “mechanical break- down” on another – both “beyond Arriva’s control”. MrWiles said: “This justifies my
action to take my complaint to the top. “ The Commissionerwarns that op-
erators found not to be running serv- ices in accordance with registered timetables may be asked to attend a public inquiry, have their licence re- voked or face a fine. MrWiles has now started a peti-
tion calling for an improved service. Sign it at Taylors Newsagent, on Bearsted Green, and the Newsrack, Grove Green.
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