News News
Plan on show
LENHAM’SNeighbourhood Plan has just completed its latest hur- dle, after the draft document was put on show for public comment at the Tithe Barn. More than 650 people visited the
event on Saturday,October 6. Maps defined the areas of pro-
Anotherincursion at Larkfield park
posed development, as well as open spaces, improved sports fa- cilities and infrastructure im- provements, with two question and answer sessions to expand on the vision for how the parish will expand from2021 to 2031. Comments made at the event will be considered.
Rail crossing
TRAVELLERS have moved back onto a popular park in Larkfield for the second time in six months. The families - in five caravans -
NETWORK Rail has saidwork on an alternative route for walkers wishing to cross the line at Hollingbourne has still to be fin- ished. Questions have been raised as to
why the unmanned rail crossing remains open after Network Rail ruled itwas too dangerous to use. NetworkRail said: “Level cross-
ings like the one at Holling- bourne…pose an unacceptable risk to the public, which is why we’re committed to its closure.”
pulled on to Gighill Green in Lunsford Lane on Sunday October ,, releasing dogs on the popular public open space and setting up washing lines within hours. It is un- derstood the fami- lies in- volv ed have been offering tree felling services to residents in the area. Parish council chairman David Thornewell says more has to be done to stop the travelling com- munity running circles around the police and local councils. He says the job ofmoving on trav-
ellers for a second time will run into thousands of pounds The last inci- dent, in early summer, costing the parish council £1,200, with the trav-
Bus scheme ‘depends on passenger support’
DETAILSof anewbus service for villages in East Maidstone re- minds many of the thread on which vital community services hang in our rural areas. EastMaidstone is one of just five
subsidisedpilot schemes operating fromnext summer to deliver pub- lic transport to isolated areas. “Feeder” services will operate
from Hollingbourne and Grafty Green to an interchange at Mor- risons, Parkwood, where passen- gers will be able to get a bus into Maidstone and Tenterden. In Hollingbourne, the pilot will
ellers simply moving on to take up temporary residence elsewhere in the area. He said: “They just seem to be
replace theNo 13, calling at Leeds, Langley andOtham, and the serv- ice from Grafty Green will call at Ulcombe, Kingswood, Chart Sut- ton and BoughtonMonchelsea. The pilots follow a consultation
by Kent County Council, which has looked at howbest to fund fu- ture services, and in some areas these trialswill look at using taxis. KCC cabinet member Mike
doing the rounds. These incidents have affectedWest Malling, forcing the closure of the village hall, and Leybourne, and now they are back in Larkfield. The police told resi- dents that this was a civil trespass when they reported it and that they couldn’t do anything and obviously the council offices were closed be- cause it was the weekend. These travellers know and play the sys- tem.” The council’s legal team served an eviction notice but it took aweek to enforce. Cllr Thornewell held talks with Laddingford Engineering in an effort to increase security further on the public land, near the M20. Valdemar Kalinin (pictured), of
the National Gypsy-Traveller-Roma Council said recently that local councils must provide designated traveller sites or “tolerated zone” which gypsy convoys can move onto. He said: “It comes down to racial prejudice against this com- munity.”
Whiting said: “Our schemesmean we can be smarterwith ourmoney andreachmorepeoplewho feel let down by commercial buses.” Each pilot will be reviewed
‘Spooktacular’ at the farm
against criteria including passen- ger numbers. School services will remain unchanged. NU Venture’s Norman Kemp
congratulated thework of the East ofMaidstone BusGroup for secur- ing one of the newschemes. He said: “A year ago KCC planned to decimate subsidised
MAKE the most of the October half-term holiday at Kent Life Heritage Farm Park’s Halloween Spooktacular in Maidstone. Brave kids are invited to the vintage village to knock on doors and
downsmail.co.uk downsmail.co.uk
services. Villages are nowin a for- tunate position in being selected for one of these experiments, but its success will rest with passen- gers supporting it.” Hollingbourne parish councillor
John Cobbett said: “It’s good there will continue to be a bus service intoMaidstone, although it is likely to take over 40minutes.” Bus user Hilary Lucette (pic-
tured), said: “I visitmy husband at his care home on the bus five days aweek. It’s a very important serv- ice for people likeme.” The buspicksuppassengers out-
discover who – or what – is lurking behind them from October 21-31. The award-winning attraction at Sandling, near Maidstone, has a few
other tricks up its sleeve to turn its usual exhibits into frightening farmhouses and horrifying homes. Youngsters can try pumpkin carving, dressing up and the Ugly Bug Ball. On October 25, there will be more spooky goings-on with Kent Life
5-6pm and, for older visitors, from 7-8pm. If you would like to know more about any of the above, call 01622 763936.
sideHollingbourne shop and post office,whereChristopherRudgard opens seven days a week, in spite of failing to return a profit. He said: “Like the bus, the shop
After Dark, This event includes a spine-chilling tour suitable for under-eights from
is still here, but it relies on cus- tomers to support it. Its future couldbe as a community asset, but it will need someone to recognise its value to the community and take that idea forward.”
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