News


downsmail.co.uk M20 upgrade to take two years


THEdesigns and dates for work to turn theM20 into a so-called “smart”motorway near Maidstone have been announced – at a cost of more than £90m to the tax-payer and two years of disruption.


It will mean two years of road-


works on the key transport corridor from March, with the first lane clo- sures already being experienced as the preparation work begins. Highways England says themove


to increase capacity between junc- tion 3 nearWest Malling and junc- tion 5, near Aylesford, will create four live traffic lanes in both direc- tions by removing the current hard shoulder. However, it concedes there will be disruption, adding: “It is anticipated that narrow lanes traffic manage- ment, temporary concrete safety barriers and speed restrictions will be put in place. Junction layouts may be temporarily altered to allow for resurfacing and improvement. “There will be temporary closures


of the carriageways at night on some occasions.” News of the project was wel- comed by Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat, who has been pressing for improvements to re- lieve congestion on the busy route. He said: “The M20 is a key road connecting the country with Eu- rope, but it suffers from severe de- lays.We see when Operation Stack is in force, the impact of this on all


Pedestrian hit WITNESSES are being urged to come forward after a man was left with serious injuries following an accident in Maidstone over the Bank Holiday. The man, in his 90s, is being treated at a London hospital after being hit by a lorry in King Street, near its junction with Church Street on Friday,August 25. The accident involving the pedestrian happened at about 2pm and involved a white lorry. Anyone who saw the collision is


asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538, quoting the reference number AW/DM/191/17, or email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk.


Bar’s upgrade


MAIDSTONE’S Banks Barwas due to reopen on September 16 as a luxury venue after a refurbishment. The Bank Street nightspot has


been empty since it closed in 2015, but the new team says on Facebook that it has been working on reno- vating it to “a really, really high standard.” Inside the over-21s venue, there


will be four rooms on two floors with two cocktail bars, two dance- floors, a draught and craft beer bar and a terraced balcony outside.


32 Maidstone October 2017


McDonald’s staff in town centre clean-up


MORE than 20 staff from the three McDonald’s restaurants in Maid- stonehelped to clear litter and over- grown foliage between Lockmeadow Bridge and Arch- bishop’s Palace. The clean-up is part of the fast


food company's Love Where You Live scheme. The teamwere armed with litter-pickers and green sacks in the latest clean-up. Aspokesman said: “Their efforts


have not only cleaned up that area but opened up better views of the


river from the historic Horseway and Lockmeadow Millennium Bridge. “This is the second year that McDonald's have supported a riverside clean-up and the volun- teer-led river park partnership are extremely grateful for their efforts.” The project is supported by the Environment Agency and Maid- stone Borough Council. Fast food outlets in town centres are often criticised for the amount of rubbish customers discard in the streets, de- spite bins being provided.


sary. Highways England saysCCTV cameras will improve emergency service response times and variable, mandatory speed limits will im- prove the flow of traffic further on the new road. A spokesman said the work is needed to deal with “significant congestion” resulting from large car and freight volumes to and from London and the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone. Headded: “This is of considerable


local and national economic and po- litical importance.” For lorries travelling to Dover


Tonbridge and Malling MP TomTugendhat at the M20


our local roads becomes severe. That’s why I’ve been pushing for Highways England to make it a “smart” motorway, and I am pleased this is happening.” Mr Tugendhat said he would be interested to see the plans and urged residents to attend local events where Highways England will explain the scheme. He added: “You can turn up, ask questions and view the works as they will initially cause disruption.”


The project, which will be carried


out by Carillion Kier, will cost £92.17 million and has a completion date of January 2020. Work will also involve replacing Addington footbridge - brought down by a lorry inAugust last year; the reconfiguration of junction lay- outs; the creation of five emergency refuges, with phones, and a raised concrete central reservation. Noise barriers will be replaced and new ones added where neces-


there will be specific diversion route announcements in the coming months. This will include information


about Operation Stack. Stack is normally enforced by parking lorries on the M20 while there are issues which shut the ports in England or France. Members of the he public can


view the plans and ask questions at an exhibition in the area on Septem- ber 22 and 23 at the Community Hall, Capel Morris Centre, Hall Road, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford (3-9pm and 10am-5pm respectively).


Lions’ charity


car park to go A CHARITY in Maidstone has thanked motorists who have helped raise thousands of pounds for local causes after being told their parking arrangement in the town has to cease. Maidstone Lions Club say fans at


the football club has supported the use of the Countygate car park on match days since their new sta- dium opened in 2012. But Lions Club fundraising chair-


man Malcolm Luxton, whose mem- bers have manned the car park voluntarily for charity for more than five years, has been told it will no longer be at their disposal. He said: “Every penny of the money that the Lions club have re- ceived from football fans has been used for charitable purposes in the Maidstone area. Unfortunately,we have now been denied the use of the ‘old Job Centre’ half of the site for the foreseeable future by agents acting on behalf of the owners. “Maidstone Lions Club would


like to thank all the football fans who have generously given dona- tions for parking over the years.” The Lions organisation, which is celebrating its centenary, raised £1.6m for communities in the south east alone last year.


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