downsmail.co.uk MBC has been reducing the scope of


Park and Ride for some years. A service which at one time boasted the newest buses running every 12 minutes, now has ta�y elderly vehicles every 20 minutes. It is difficult to see how Maidstone Park


and Ride can survive. It has suffered death by stealth. With diminishing use, it will deteriorate to the point where MBC will disconnect the lifeline. But I doubt if there is a realistic plan to accommodate the town centre workers who use the service. David Hall, Fremlins Road, Bearsted


School access concerning


WHILST we welcome the plans for two new schools to serve the north Maidstone area, we have concerns about the proposed location on Popes Field, next to the Cygnet mental health hospital at the Kent Medical Campus. Access for children to walk to these


schools is far from satisfactory as the site is some distance from its main catchment areas to the south and west and is separated from them by Bearsted Road – a narrow, two-lane, road leading to M20 J7. It is frequently grid-locked at peak times. A far higher proportion of children will, therefore, be driven to the schools rather than risk walking. The traffic implications are worrying.


With 420 pupils at the primary school plus 120 at the SEN secondary school, many of whom will be travelling from all over Kent, the volume of traffic generated will have a major impact on Bearsted Road. The proposed access to the schools is via


a single entrance from Bearsted Road into a parking area with just 35 parking spaces for parents! It is anticipated that 13 minibus parking spaces provided for the SEN school will be available for parents, we still consider this vastly inadequate. It will undoubtedly lead to parking on Bearsted Road, narrowing it to a single lane. We also consider the expectation that 40% of pupils will walk to school to be very over-optimistic. We have made our concerns in writing to Kent Highways and urge the


Department for Education to either find a more appropriate location for these schools to the north of Maidstone or to amend their proposals to provide road access to the new schools via the New Cut roundabout and the Kent Medical Campus access road. Although the volume of traffic the


school will generate would remain the same, it would remove the congestion and danger to pedestrians that will be caused by a single access on Bearsted Road. MBC councillors Val Springe, Denis Spooner, Mike Cuming, Nick de Wiggondene-Sheppard, Bob Hinder and Wendy Hinder; Anne Brindle, Boxley


No weather for rugby


THE planning application for the huge residential and commercial development at the top of Detling Hill (Binbury Park) is a�racting le�ers of support from Maidstone Rugby Club, who are hoping to be helped to relocate there. The Bimbury Lane Residents’ Association warns the rugby club that a unique winter climate exists here, when frost and fog often persist for days, sometimes weeks, which would likely lead to cancellation of matches and training. Just consider how many point-to-point meetings have been cancelled due to bad weather conditions. Rosemary Ballard, Bimbury Lane Residents Association, Detling


Traffic jams cause pollution


I WRITE as borough councillor for Boxley ward and chairman of Boxley Parish Council. I am concerned that at present no information can be gained from Highways England regarding any proposals for improvements to this important motorway junction. Consultations are ongoing with the local authorities and KCC regarding the planning application to construct the Lower Thames Crossing. Traffic increases have been given regarding the likely impact on the area. Figures show that the HGV increases on Bluebell Hill for 2026 indicate an increase


at am peak time of 76.6%, and 116% increase during the pm peak. I am continually questioned by residents and commuters about the unacceptable conditions that already exist and the area is rapidly approaching the situation where gridlock will occur. Please Highways England, the overcrowded roads in Kent cannot cope with more traffic – give us answers and firm proposals to improve our environment and keep traffic moving. We are concerned about the increases in pollution; traffic jams are one of the main instigators of this. Cllr Bob Hinder, MBC & Boxley Parish Council


Get planners out in traffic


IT took me over an hour on Tuesday to travel from the Leisure Centre at Mote Park to Allington due to the heavy traffic. Do KCC Highways officers, who always


raise no objection to new development, ever drive through Maidstone at busy times? I can't believe they do otherwise surely they would see the dire consequences of their actions. Malcolm Luxton, Chestnut Street, Borden


Wood theft hit reserve


SOMEONE is si�ing comfortably by their wood-burning stove, enjoying the warmth generated by the timber they stole this week from Fant Wildlife Reserve. The wood was scheduled to be used in


the restoration of a wetland, pond dipping and wildlife habitat. This work cannot be completed until we are able to resource some replacement timber for which we have very limited funding. There is also limited time left for the volunteers to carry out the works. They may suffer with age-related


complaints which slow up how much work they can do in a session, so supplies that may look surplus to requirement or abandoned, are just waiting for the volunteer to have the energy to do the work. R G Luck Maidstone


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