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downsmail.co.uk SOHOWdowe in Kent now view


What does election mean for us? MailMarks


probably the most fascinating, important and unreadable election of our lifetimes? As a mostly staunch Conservative and


Brexit county, most will be bewildered, disappointed and worried. In the Maidstone area, the result produced no surprises. The four Tory MPs (Helen Grant, Helen Whately, Tracey Crouch and Tom Tugendhat) retained thumping majorities. Most significant movementwas the increase in Labour’s vote at the expense of Ukip and the Lib Dems. The only Kent shock came at Canterbury (strongly Conservative for 99 years), and there is deep anger among many city Tories who believe their MP fell by 187 votes due to migratory students taken in by unaffordable Labour promises.Watch for local unrest. It’s uncertainties caused by many more unexpected results in the rest of the UK, now with a hung Parliament, which cause so much concern for everyone, especially businesses. Both Labour and Conservatives made significant election promises. I am relieved Labour will not again be able to push us towards national bankruptcy by carrying out theirs (ghosts of Gordon Brown). It is easy without responsibility to promise the earth. The Tories areweakened and politically fractious, and must play safe to survive. But the economy will still demand tough and unpalatable action. Can the Prime Minister regain her own,


and our, confidence after her grim election campaign? Shewas


Train cuts concerning


ASA resident of Maidstone, Iwas concerned by the information contained in an article about possible train service cuts in your June editions. I know the quickestway to get to central London – to Oxford Street, the theatres etc – by train is from MaidstoneWest station via Tonbridge outside peak travel hours. I am therefore worried by the proposal to sideline stations between Ashford and Tonbridge. The proposal does not mention the connection of the Medway Valley line to Tonbridge, but the inclusion of Paddock Wood in the list of stations under threat of a 50% reduction in service causes my concern. After all, Ashford hardly needs a faster direct service to London when it already has the high-speed line to St Pancras. My suspicionswere aroused by the mention in the consultation document of a proposal to build a direct link from Godstone to Reigate, crossing the Brighton line at Redhill towards Reading to form an “M25” around London for freight, presumably from the Channel Tunnel. Your article correctly points out the lack


of any need to speed up the main line passenger service between Ashford and Tonbridge. But what about heavy freight? Can your editorial team discover what is in


34 Maidstone East July 2017


DENNISFOWLE President dfowle2011@aol.com


outperformed by Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader hardly anyone gave a chance when the electionwas called. His campaign surprised us all – but many had nightmares about him as Prime Minister. I now sleep a lile more easily! How does Brexit sit now? As strong as


ever, I think. The nation has voted by referendum and Parliament finally gave overwhelming support. The two main partieswere both commied in the election – and parties which opposed did not farewell. Probably 600 MPswere elected carrying


a Brexit ticket. There is still a diminishing band of “remoaners” who give succour to hard liners in Europewanting to punish us. I think our team will be even more determined to negotiate for Britain the dealwewant.





No more Updates FOR the last 12 years or so, you have


been able to read Maidstone Council’s regular publication Borough Update as part of your Downs Mail. But no more. The council has decided to produce its


own glossy magazine twice a year and deliver it by Royal Mail across the borough. The Downs Mail has tried to persuade the council this is wrong – that its


the mind of the secretary of state as far as rural Kent is concerned? J Ruffell, Tonbridge Rd, Maidstone


We deserve bigger EU role


I WISH I could share your columnist Dennis Fowle’s sanguine view of Britain’s prospects outside the European Union, which he accuses of being “undemocratic”. Yet, as Michael Heseltine pointed out during the run-up to the referendum, the EU has actually helped embed democratic institutions – a pre-requisite of membership, after all – in countries where they had a precarious life or did not exist at all. That is Portugal, Spain, Greece, say, or some of the East European countries. More than that, far from seizing back control, Britain now has much diminished influence in shaping its future relationship with by far our largest trading partner. When I recently returned from visiting


the D-Day landing sites in Normandy, it struck me forcefully that after the sacrifice of so much British life to help save France (not just once, but twice in the last century) what colossal ingratitude De Gaulle showed in vetoing this country’s original application to join the Common Market. Given this background, it makes sense


for us to be at the very heart of the European project, not some insignificant offshore island drifting towards irrelevance


taxpayers will not bewell informed in a timelyway on important council services, policies and views.We also claim that, at a time of severe financial stringencies for the council, this will come at extra cost. We have investigated improving the urgency of Borough Update, suggesting a monthly two-page spread in the 60,000 or so copies distributed via our four Maidstone editions. This totals 24 pages a year – a significant saving for the council on last year’s 48 pages (12 pages quarterly). These regular newsleers in Downs Mail have workedwell for years for Bearsted, Boxley, Thurnham, Malling and Snodland. The council is right to make more use of


social media to project its information – but how many adult householders are big users of Facebook and Twier? I know the percentage is low. The national history of council glossies


is grim, with many failures – ask Kent County Council! They are not good vehicles for urgent information and news, often become frothy, tired and generally notwell read. The government has issued awarning, too. It does notwant to see local authorities competing with local businesses, especially the local newspaper industry, which is currently facing severe challenges. Downs Mail and Kent Messenger will be watching any threat to local advertising revenue very carefully. I think the council will soon find it has


made a poor and costly decision – bad for residents, itself and newspapers so important to local democracy. Too often local councils find running businesses is not their forte.


and glorious isolation. K G Banks, Maidstone


Planners ‘punish’ drivers


WHY dowe employ planners and councillors? OnWednesday, May 17, the roadwas yet


again flooded right across, by the bus stop to the side of Homebase on the Quarry Wood estate. It happens every time there's heavy rain. Couple this with the badly designed


roads, poorly designed junctions where a queue stops traffic in any lane, unsynchronised traffic lights, unrelieved bends and all the rest of the time-wasting, fuel-wasting and frustrating nonsense our “couldn't give a damn” masters make us suffer and is it any wonder there's road rage? You feel as if they want to punish us for daring to drive! Phil Granger,West Malling


Walk to reduce traffic


IN RESPOSE to Kevin Reed's recent leer published in Downs Mail, I would like to say that we should all take a part in reducing the amount of traffic on the roads. Assuming good health, a five-minute car journey is most likely walking distance. My daily commute involves a 1.6 milewalk eachway, and I often find myself moving


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