News


Bridge reopening will not solve ‘nightmare’


WORKto reopen Teston Bridge is scheduled to finish onOctober 8 – but residents fear that it will not be the end of their traffic ‘night- mare’. The bridge, on the B2163, has


been shut to traffic since August after a drink-driver caused the damage when he crashed into the medieval structure. The knock-on effect of the closure


has been huge for residents of nearby villages, withWest Farleigh parish councillor Geoff Martin de- scribing them as “like prisoners”, unable to get out of the area at busy periods. Mr Martin said: “The build-up of


traffic in East Farleigh has been un- real. I’ve had people reporting to me that if you’re on the wrong side of that bridge, you can sit there for half an hour. “It’s an absolute nightmare. Hunt


Street has been decimated by the traffic and holes have appeared in the road.We’re going to have to get someone out from highways to look at repairs. “The impact on the village has been horrendous – we’ve been like


Money fromnew development needs to be invested in infrastructure, says Lib Dem Cllr Emily Fermor


prisoners in the village, you can’t get across the valley, all of the bridges are blocked at rush hour. With more houses being built in Coxheath and Staplehurst, it’s going to get even worse.” The bridge itself may soon be set


to reopen, but Mr Martin, who has a business on Hunt Street, admits that will not solve many of the problems. “It will be a massive relief to have


the bridge back open,” he added. “The problem will be that once it’s


open it won’t stop the massive lor- ries coming over it. I don’t know why we can’t get something done about it. I understand it wasn’t a lorry that caused the damage this time but when it was closed before itwas caused by a HGV. “I would say we probably need another crossing, but I don’t know where that would be.” Cllr Emily Fermor, Lib Dem member for Coxheath and Hunton, has also seen first-hand the issues the closure has caused – but she too concedes that the problems will not go away when the bridge reopens. “We need to be making sure that money coming from increased de- velopment is being invested in in- frastructure,” she said. “We know that with big develop-


ments we can get a certain amount of money through Section 106 or- ders andwe need to make sure that local councillors are wise to that and make sure the money is being invested where it is needed. “Of course, the issue with our planning system is that you can’t get the investment until after the development has been built.”


downsmail.co.uk


Book tickets for fireworks


TICKETS are now available for this year’s West Farleigh Fireworks Spectacular at Elmscroft Park. Gates open at 6pm for the event


on Friday, November 3, with enter- tainment, food and drink on offer until 10pm. Visitors are reminded that no


glass, alcohol or fireworks can be brought in by the public. As well as the popular tombola,


there will be a Guy competition. Discounted tickets are available


online at www.thefarleighs.co.uk or www.westfarleighsportsclub. com, price £8.50 adult, £4.50 child. Family tickets (two adults and up to three children) cost £25 and are available only in advance. Tickets can also be ordered by calling 01622 720810.


Medical advice A PRACTICE nurse from Yalding Surgery will be giving advice on medical treatment. Elaine Langton will advise the


Evergreens group on when they should go to the chemist, self-med- icate, visit the GP or call either 111 or 999 at their meeting at the WI Hall in West Farleigh on Tuesday, October 10 at 2.30pm . For details or to arrange a lift, call 01622 814561 or 01622 814445.


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