News


A wishlist for trade and jobs


COUNCILS and businesses have issued nearly a dozen Kent MPs with a shopping list to get trade, jobs and transport moving in the county.


Representatives from more than 75 businesses, councils and education providers came together to put the case for in- vestment


in


Kent’s infrastruc- ture at a summit at Maidstone TV Studios


last


month. Attending for Maidstone


Councilwas leader FranWilson (pic- tured) and regeneration and eco- nomic development manager John Foster. The summit, organised by South


East Local Enterprise Partnership, called on MPs to lobby government on the commercial importance of keeping traffic moving through the county. Therewere also calls for cash to be spent on a link road between the M2 and the Canterbury Road at Brenley Corner; a Lower Thames


Crossing; dualling theA2 from Lyd- den to Dover and a solution to the lorry parking problem. Other suggestions included ex- tending the length of high speed trains to avoid overcrowding, and providing a dedicated shuttle serv- ice between Ebbsfleet and London. All agreed that extending the Crossrail service to Ebbsfleet or Gravesend, would help regenerate North Kent. After the summit, its chairman,


Dover MP Charlie Elphicke, said: “Everyone knows Brexit will present challenges – but there will also be real opportunities to build the sort of Britain we want. It’s clear we need investment in Kent’s roads and rail- ways. The A2 must be dualled and we need to get on with building the Lower Thames Crossing. We must act now to prevent gridlock and de- lays. Meanwhile,we have to increase capacity on our trains to meet de- mand and it’s vital we support Kent’s colleges and universities in providing the lifelong learning adults in Kent need to adapt to a dy- namic digital economy.”


50 drivers in lorry phone trap


NEARLY £5,000 in fines has been handed out by Kent Police to drivers on the M20 in a covert operation to stop motorists using their mobile phones. As well as chatting while at the wheel, drivers were caught texting, looking at paperwork, and in one case a woman had a cigarette in one hand and her mobile phone in the other while she was on the slip road leaving the motorway. Officers used an unmarked lorry from Highways England to catch 50 culprits in five days, in an operation which ran until January 29. A Kent Police spokesman said one of the most shocking incidents witnessed was a lorry driver who travelled 500 yards on the slip road from the M20 without glancing up, even once, from his phone screen. Four other motorists were stopped for speeding, including one who


was travelling at 110mph, and a lorry driver who was reversing his vehicle along the hard shoulder. Kent Police say using an unmarked lorry cab allows officers to get a


clear view down into other vehicles without pre-warning offenders of the police trap.


o £100 worth


of M&S vouchers with this advert at point of sale.


Expires 6th March 2017


Difficulty Bathing we can help


Wet rooms • Walk in showers (low level & level access) • Walk in baths • Product & installtion guarantee • Waterproof wall panelling • Slip resitant safety flooring • Grab rails, shower seats & raised toilets • Local family business • Zero VAT on disabled bathrooms *Discounts for over 60’s SSFA and Ex Service personnel*


we design • we supply • we fit • we care


Tel: 01622 738204 & office 01622 611880 info@ahminstallations.co.uk www.ahminstallations.co.uk


Showroom Open 7 Days, Unit 11, Newnham Court Shopping Village, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent ME14 5LH


Vouchers sent out 30 days after installation of bathroom installation. 14 Maidstone Weald February 2017 orchard dental practice


Emergency Appointments


Free Parking


downsmail.co.uk


Pay Less Dental Care


Introducing


Independent Dentistry


Our prices are based on NHS charges


Examination £19.70 Late evening &


Saturday appointments To see how we can help call


01622 741817


www.paylessdental.co.uk 146 Heath Road, Coxheath, Maidstone, ME17 4PL


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56