News
Truckers fined on just one day
POLICEenforcement of a lorry ban from Langley to the M20 via Leeds villagewas carried out on just a sin- gle day in 2016, Downs Mail has learned. Seven noticeswere issued onMay
25, 2016, with six drivers each pay- ing a £50 fine while another was summonsed for ignoring theweight restriction. One ticket has been is- sued in 2017. The disclosures by Kent Police
were little surprise to Leeds parish councillor Lesley Martin, who counts an average of three lorries an hour flouting the ban when she takes part in LorryWatch surveys. In March, hopes were raised that
Kent Police had decided to clamp down on truckers ignoring the ban whena lorrywas pulled in at the en- trance to Leeds Castle. But it was a one-off. County councillor Gary Cooke re-
cently pressed the chief constable of Kent to do more to enforce the 17tonne weight restriction on the B2163. He said: “Seven tickets is hardly any, given the frequency with which they thunder through Leeds. I
do think of equal importance is the inadequacy of the fines that police are allowed to issue. “These are treated by lorry opera-
tors as a cost of doing business and little byway of deterrent. But it fur- ther highlights the need for a Leeds- Langley relief road.” Aspokesman for Kent Police said: “Officers will continue to enforce this weight restriction as and when their duties allow, and Kent Police encourages residents of Leeds vil- lage to report details of any vehicle seen committing an offence as and when they see this take place. “Kent Police is aware of residents’ concerns, and officers will continue to patrol the area in line with their other duties for the rest of the Maid- stone district.” Borough councillor Gill Fort said:
“If the police don’t stop them and hand out a meaningful fine, they’ll carry on coming through.” OnMay25 last year, police also is-
sued three more notices for drivers exceeding their hours, for which one payment of £200 and two payments of £300were made.
downsmail.co.uk Cancer survivor’s message
AN AWARD-winning spa owner is working to raise funds and awareness of women’s cancer after winning her own battle against the disease. Wendy Mullings, who runs Exquisite Spa at the Mercure Great Danes
Hotel, Hollingbourne,was diagnosed with gynaecological cancer three years ago. “I had a scan three months before andwas told Iwas clear”, she said. “But in that time, the tumour had got very large. It was a very fast growing cancer and Iwas in stage 3.” She hopes that sharing
her experience will help other women beat the disease. She said: “Please be aware of the signs and don’t leave it. Within three months I had almost got to stage 4, when there is no hope.We cannot ignore it.” Mum-of-twoWendy is supporting the Eve Appeal, which raises awareness and funding into five gynaecological cancers. She is organising a Time for Tea fun event at the spa from2-5pm on Monday, May 22, in aid of the charity. The event will include afternoon tea, cakes, a bake-off, big prizes and spa treatment tasters. Admission is £5 and booking is essential. Call 01622 880639 for details. After surgery and chemotherapy,Wendy is now in remission. She said: “I had 11 hours of surgery at the RoyalMarsden Hospital. The
whole cancerwas removed and Iwas treated at the oncology department at Maidstone Hospital, where theywerewonderful.” Wendy’s diagnosis came shortly after her daughter, Zoe, gave birth to a daughter, Felicity.Wendy, who is pictured with her grandchildren, said: “I thought Iwould never seemy granddaughter grow up. My family carried me through the dark moments. Now Zoe has had another baby, Edgar, who Imight never have seen. I amvery lucky.”
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Maidstone June 2017
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