Transport

Please leave space for engines

Ashford firefighters are reminding people to ensure there is space to allow fire engines through.

This follows an emergency call to Cudworth Road, Ashford after a summer house caught alight during the early hours of this morning (Thursday, 21 September).

Firefighters were called at 3.52am and a fire engine raced to the scene but struggled to get down part of Cudworth Road, due to insufficient space between vehicles parked either side.

Ashford Crew Manager, Andy Harris explained what happened: “We had to keep sounding the siren to alert residents and, fortunately we still managed to reach the house within eight minutes. But in an emergency, every second counts and a delay preventing our crews from reaching someone in danger could make all the difference.”

Once at the property, fire crews used a hose reel to extinguish the blaze, which severely damaged a summer house in the back garden. Firefighters left the scene around 5am.

Andy added: “We appreciate that parking can be tight and that people like to park as close as possible to their homes, but a fire engine needs a gap of at least 3.1m (10ft) to get through – please keep that in mind when you’re parking. It could be your house we’re trying to reach.”

Kent Fire and Rescue Service 21 September 2017
www.kent.fire-uk.org/news/news-releases/september-2017/please-leave-space-for-engines-to-get-through-urge-firefighters/

KCC Rights of Way consultation

Kent County CouncilRights of Way Improvement Plan

Kent County Council

Opens 10 Aug 2017
Closes 17 Sep 2017

Kent County Council’s Public Rights of Way and Access Service is reviewing its Rights of Way Improvement Plan which will be consulted on in late 2017/early 2018.

The Plan will cover how our rights of way are used and what changes are required to meet the needs of Kent’s residents and visitors over the next 10 years.

Prior to this consultation, we have commissioned Lake Market Research, an independent market research agency, to conduct a research study about Public Rights of Way. We would like to hear views of Kent residents who use Public Rights of Way and those that do not.

Click here to have your say on Public Rights of Way.

If you require a hard copy of the questionnaire, please contact Denise Roffey.

Consultation Links

Consultation Summary

Name Rights of Way Improvement Plan
Description Kent County Council’s Public Rights of Way and Access Service is reviewing its Rights of Way Improvement Plan which will be consulted on in late 2017/early 2018. Have your say on the service and help shape the plan.
Dates From 10 Aug 2017 at 00:00 to 17 Sep 2017 at 23:59.
Status Open
Consulting Organisation Type Kent County Council
Consulting Organisation Name Kent County Council
District / Borough areas affected by the consultation Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Dover, Gravesham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Shepway, Swale, Thanet, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells
Consultation Topic General interest, Environment and countryside, Public rights of way
Consultation Methods Online survey / questionnaire / forms
Contact Details Denise.Roffey@kent.gov.uk

Norman Road closure

Kent County CouncilWhen we plan to carry out the work and how long it will take:

This is to let you know that, as part of the on-going maintenance and improvement of the highway network, Kent County Council will be strengthening and resurfacing the circulatory of the roundabout and approaches at the junction with Gallagher Retail Park/ B&Q access Rd

The work will take 3 nights to complete, between 28th July 2017 and 1st Aug 2017 (excluding the weekend). All work will be between the hours of 7.30pm and 5am. This type of work can be affected by bad weather, so if it is not possible for us to carry it out at this time, we will arrange a new date and let you know via a letter drop to your home. We will also put up signs along the road, before we start, showing the date we plan to start work.

What we plan to do:

  • We will remove some of the existing road surface by a method known as milling. The complete area will then be swept by a mechanical sweeper to ensure the prepared surface is clean and free of dust and debris.
  • If required, the existing manhole covers or rain water gully gratings will be adjusted or replaced to the correct level before the new surface is laid. Please note that this operation is noisy and can be prolonged as it is carried out using pneumatic hand tools.
  • The new surfacing material will then be laid using a machine called a paver and compacted with a roller. This is a relatively quick process and dependant on the design will either be a one or two layer process.
  • Finally, following completion of the surfacing, all associated high friction surfacing and road markings will be re-painted.
  • The road will then be re-opened.

Please note that during the whole process, audible warning reversing sirens will be heard; this is a health and safety requirement and cannot be turned off but will be kept to a minimum.

How you can help

During these essential works, it will be necessary to close Norman Road, between the junction with Beaver Road and Romney Marsh Road so that we can carry out the works safely for both the workforce and road users. There will be limited access via the diversion route to Gallagher Retail Park and B & Q. An alternative diversion route for traffic will be signed whilst the road is closed. The diversion route for through traffic along Norman Road will be Beaver Road, Kingsnorth Road/ Wotton Rd/ Malcolm Sargent Rd / A2042 Romney Marsh Road. The footways will remain open at all times and pedestrian access to businesses and residential properties will be available.
It is inevitable that residents and businesses near the works will experience some disruption and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused, but we will try to keep this to a minimum. Access to properties will need to be restricted for a short period while work is carried out in front of each property and across road junctions. If you have any particular access needs, please let the workforce on the site know.

We need your help to make sure the work is done as quickly as possible and to the best possible quality. If your vehicle is usually parked on the carriageway, please make sure you park it somewhere else away from the site whilst the works are carried out, so the road is clear for us to resurface.

If you need more information, please call us on 03000 418181

You can also visit our website www.kent.gov.uk/highways to find out how we look after the roads throughout

Kent or report any faults you find on our roads.

For your safety and the safety of our workforce, please drive carefully and slowly through the road works.

Kent County Council 10 July 2017

Grantley Close closure

Kent County CouncilRoad closed 17th July for up to 4 days to allow KCC Highways to carry out urgent carriageway repairs. The road will be closed for the entire length. There is no alternative route as the road is a cul-de-sac. Every effort will be made to maintain access for residents whenever it is safe to do so. It is planned that the road will be closed between 07:00 hours and 17:00 hours each day. Please allow extra time for your journey.

Severity: Medium

Category: Carriageway works

Incident time: 17 July 2017 07:00
Completion time: 21 July 2017 17:00:00

Kent County Council 10 July 2017 10:20
http://www.kenttraffic.info/?sid=KCC170710_20&E=600458&N=141537&lyt=planned

Make sure they can get through

Would a fire engine be able to drive down your road in an emergency?

Kent’s firefighters are urging people to think before they park and consider whether a fire engine would be able to get to your home in an emergency?

Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s (KFRS) 999 control room received a number of calls to reports of a large shed fire in Shakespeare Road, Dartford at 6.52am this morning (Friday). Two fire engines were on the scene within minutes but had difficulty accessing the road due to inconsiderate parking in the area.

Crew manager, Neil Jones said: “We know sometimes space can be limited but please try and leave enough room for us and other emergency services to get past. In some of the narrower side streets we find vehicles are parked on junctions, making it impossible for our fire engines to turn.

“Fire engines are wide and need more space than you might think. Parking on a junction or a bend may stop us getting to where we’re needed at a time when every second counts and we struggle to drive down certain roads if vehicles are not parked appropriately. Please park close to the curb and straighten the wheels of your vehicle, it can make a big difference.”

Kent Fire and Rescue Service 21 April 2017
www.kent.fire-uk.org/news/news-releases/april-2017/would-a-fire-engine-be-able-to-drive-down-your-road-in-an-emergency/

Proposal for Elwick Road Car Park

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) have submitted a planning application, to their own planning department, for creation of a temporary car park in Elwick Road. Part of the site comprises land that was included an outline application submitted by Stanhope plc for residential development, as Phase 2 of the planned cinema complex on the old Ashford Market site.

The application states that the “car park is intended to replace spaces lost at Dover Place during construction and to assist parking on the new K College campus which is opposite the site”. The car park will have a maximum of 107 spaces, which may reduce during its life.

It is ot envisaged that the works will have a life longer than three years.

ABC planning case references:

Case Ref: Description Posted on
17/00201/AS Creation of a new temporary car park on redundant land. Change of use from the previous B1 use to Sui Generis proposed car park 17th February 2017
15/01282/AS Outline application for development of up to 200 residential units with access to be considered at this stage (Phase 2) 12 October 2015

Cracking down on Blue Badge parking abuse

Ashford Borough Council is reminding those who have disabled blue badges to use their permits correctly to avoid facing a hefty fine or having the badge taken away.

Ashford Borough Councils’ Parking Enforcement Officers have been working closely with Kent County Council’s (KCC) Blue Badge Internal Audit and Fraud Team; as a result our Civil Enforcement Officers together with KCC will be cracking down on blue badge parking abuse.

Ashford Borough Councils’ Civil Enforcement Team will be carrying out a two month warning phase to crack down on those who misuse their badge, fraudulently use it, or who park where it would cause an obstruction or danger to other road users.

An education programme will take place between 30th January and 30th March. During this time, any drivers caught parking illegally and not complying with the rules will be issued with a warning notice. This approach will highlight to drivers the consequences of abusing the use of a Blue Badge by parking illegally or dangerously in the borough.

Following the warning phase, the council will begin enforcing where appropriate, and those who receive a Penalty Charge Notice will have their details passed directly onto KCC’s Blue Badge Audit and Fraud Team. (more…)

Bus timetable changes

From Sunday 12 February, Stagecoach are launching a high-spec minibus service, branded ‘Little & Often’, which will provide buses every 5 or 6 minutes along routes serving the hospital, town centre/rail station, Kennington and Park Farm. At the same time as the new buses hit the road there will be a shake-up of the bus routes and timetables in the town – full details for buses running through South Ashford are shown below.

Route A

Some Monday to Saturday early morning and mid evening journeys will be slightly revised. Sunday morning and early evening journeys will be revised with buses running the same weekday route (during the daytime) serving Singleton, Arlington, the town centre, Stanhope and Bridewell every 30 minutes.

Route B

New ‘Little & Often’ minibuses will run up to every 6 minutes (during the daytime) Mondays to Saturdays, linking Kennington, the town centre, the rail station, Asda, Park Farm and Bridgefield*. During the evenings and on Sundays, minibuses will run up to every 15 minutes.

*Please note that until the new bridge (linking Park Farm and Bridgefield) opens, buses can only go as far as the roundabout connecting Bluebell Road and Reed Cresent. When the new bridge opens, buses will continue to and from Bridgefield.

Route G

Some Monday to Saturday mid afternoon and evening journeys will be revised. Sunday bus times will be improved to run every hour.

Route 2

The 22:05 Ashford to Tenterden (and Rolvenden) journey and the return 22:49 journey will no longer run following a review of Kent County Council bus funding.

Route 2A

Some Monday to Saturday journeys between Ashford and Tenterden will be revised to run via Park Farm serving Roman Way.

Stagecoach UK Bus 23 Jan 2017
www.stagecoachbus.com/service-updates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-23/01/2017-11:31:55:432

KCC Freight Action Plan Consultation

Freight Action Plan Front CoverFreight Action Plan for Kent

Kent County Council

Opens: 16 Jan 2017
Closes: 12 Mar 2017

Introduction

Kent is unique in its strategic location in the country as a gateway to mainland Europe. Despite the positive economic benefits road freight brings to the county and UK, the negative implications are felt across the county. The Freight Action Plan for Kent includes nationally and locally important priorities such as Operation Stack and the provision of overnight lorry parking as well as looking into HGV routeing and the powers that KCC can use to reduce the negative impacts of road freight. The plan incorporates a refresh of the original Freight Action Plan but brings it up to date with what we have already achieved and what we will plan and continue to do to mitigate the negative impacts of road freight in Kent. (more…)