Maidstone Greens have written to the University of Creative Arts asking for clarification following concerns that the Maidstone campus is likely to lose a third of its courses to other sites. Students have raised concerns that there are plans to relocate 4 of the 12 courses. Local Greens have not received assurances that the Maidstone campus will not be wound down and have repeated called for the university to clearly state that it will continue its long history with the town.
Stuart Jeffery, Maidstone Green Party: "After concerns were raise with us about courses being relocated to other sites, I wrote to the university expressing our deep concern that the campus might be closing. The UCA has so far failed to respond to these concerns.
"The UCA, and Art College before it, have been an integral part of Maidstone for many years and we were horrified that changes that would see a third of the courses disappear from Maidstone were even being discussed.
"It is clear that the government have fundamentally undermined the confidence of universities and students over the past 6 months with the dramatic rises in student fees and if this is the cause of concern at the UCA, then they need to say so. The UCA need to keep students, staff and local people engaged with their plans and we are calling again for them to make their plans transparent.
Letter to UCA:
Professor Dianne Taylor Gearing
Pro Vice-Chancellor
University for the Creative Arts at Maidstone
Oakwood Park
Maidstone, Kent
ME16 8AG
7th February 2011
Dear Pro-Vice Chancellor,
I am concerned that the Maidstone campus is likely to lose a number of courses and for them to be relocated to another campus. I understand that Illustration, Animation, Photographic Arts, and Film & Video Arts are likely to be moved to another site reducing the number of your courses from twelve down to eight. While in the usual run of life moving courses from time to time would be natural, I am concerned that this might be the start of a closure of the Maidstone campus.
Clearly such a closure would be disastrous to Maidstone and its long and successful relationship with the UCA. I am therefore keen to learn whether my concerns are founded. I hope that you will be able to confirm that the Maidstone campus is safe from closure and will enjoy a long and successful future.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Green Party campaigner in Kent. Also a nurse, academic, former manager, writer, Druid, husband and father...
Showing posts with label Maidstone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maidstone. Show all posts
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Maidstone Coalition of Resistance - Web Site
Good to see the new Maidstone Coalition of Resistance website is up and running.
Good meeting the other night.
If you are local to Maidstone, please get involved.
Good meeting the other night.
If you are local to Maidstone, please get involved.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Front page of Your Maidstone
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Big Society to close animal rescue centre
Letter to the Kent Messenger:
You would think that the 'Big Society' idea of individuals taking responsibility would be ingrained in Maidstone's Tory led council, wouldn't you? So what is the council thinking trying to evict Maggie the owner of the animal recue centre in Teston?
Perhaps the 'Big Society' concept is less about promoting localism and more about cuts and clampdowns? Clearly the council seems to care little for local people when they they want to evict a woman who has committed 20 years of care to rescued animals and simply wants to continue providing this valuable service. Equally they seem not to be interested in helping one of our big independent shops, C&H Fabrics, from closing its doors in the town centre.
It is difficult to see where the council's priorities lie but it is clearly not with the altrustic spirit that is needed to build our communities and fostering local businesses. Sadly, I suspect their priorities will become clear when they start to cut jobs and services.
Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Green Party
You would think that the 'Big Society' idea of individuals taking responsibility would be ingrained in Maidstone's Tory led council, wouldn't you? So what is the council thinking trying to evict Maggie the owner of the animal recue centre in Teston?
Perhaps the 'Big Society' concept is less about promoting localism and more about cuts and clampdowns? Clearly the council seems to care little for local people when they they want to evict a woman who has committed 20 years of care to rescued animals and simply wants to continue providing this valuable service. Equally they seem not to be interested in helping one of our big independent shops, C&H Fabrics, from closing its doors in the town centre.
It is difficult to see where the council's priorities lie but it is clearly not with the altrustic spirit that is needed to build our communities and fostering local businesses. Sadly, I suspect their priorities will become clear when they start to cut jobs and services.
Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Green Party
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Maidstone Coalition of Resistance - First Meeting
Dan opened the meeting with a wide ranging call to rally around the movement. He had been to the London conference last year and has become the interim chair for the Maidstone group.
I spoke next and focussed on the economy, explaining why the country is not broke and that the rhetoric from the Conservatives and Lib Dems is based on ideology rather than fact. An ideology that ignores that our national debt was lower than it was for half of the last century and lower than many countries that are seen as stable, e.g. Germany.
I went on to say that the government is using the narrative to drive the economy towards privatisation at the expense of ordinary people and public services and that the government’s attitude to bankers and corporate tax avoidance is a prime example of how they are exploiting their narrative for their own private gain.
Finally I touched on where investment is needed, housing, public transport, food etc.
Joan spoke last. She focussed on her post WWII experience when the country was suffering phenomenally high levels of debt yet still managed to build the NHS.
The floor was then opened and I think just about everyone had a say. It was also great to see a wide range of experience and age. I think this group has legs and will build on this very good start.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Maidstone Coalition of Resistance - Meeting
Good to see the campaign kicking off. Details from the campaign site below:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136378569755682
The inaugural meeting of the Maidstone Coalition of Resistance. We’re aiming to bring together as wide a range of people as possible to share information on how the cuts are going to affect each and every one of us, along with spreading awareness of False Economy’s excellent demolition of the need for them. Even if you haven't thought much about how the cuts are going to bite, or if you think we're somehow immune down here in Ke...nt, this would be an excellent opportunity to just test those boundaries a bit.
Various unions and political groups in the area have, in the past, offered to send representatives for this meeting and now we have a date we’ll be in contact with them to try and get as many of them as possible to do so. As such we’ll probably have a couple of talks and then open up for general discussion, and start our plans for the future, especially in the build up to the TUC’s national demonstration on March 26th.
How to get to St. Martin’s Church Hall - http://www.stmartinsmaidst
More details coming as speakers/delegates are confirmed or if anything changes.
It'd be great to see as many people as possible at this event, organisation is the first step towards success and we desperately need to start the fight back on a local level as soon as we can.
Email us at MaidstoneAntiCuts@gmail.co
The inaugural meeting of the Maidstone Coalition of Resistance. We’re aiming to bring together as wide a range of people as possible to share information on how the cuts are going to affect each and every one of us, along with spreading awareness of False Economy’s excellent demolition of the need for them. Even if you haven't thought much about how the cuts are going to bite, or if you think we're somehow immune down here in Ke...nt, this would be an excellent opportunity to just test those boundaries a bit.
Various unions and political groups in the area have, in the past, offered to send representatives for this meeting and now we have a date we’ll be in contact with them to try and get as many of them as possible to do so. As such we’ll probably have a couple of talks and then open up for general discussion, and start our plans for the future, especially in the build up to the TUC’s national demonstration on March 26th.
How to get to St. Martin’s Church Hall - http://www.stmartinsmaidst
More details coming as speakers/delegates are confirmed or if anything changes.
It'd be great to see as many people as possible at this event, organisation is the first step towards success and we desperately need to start the fight back on a local level as soon as we can.
Email us at MaidstoneAntiCuts@gmail.co
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Too much happening to blog about...
- Disgusted that they can call this green. Treating animals (and Nature in general) in this way is as far from green philosophy as you can get. Raising pigs in factories also has no place in a green society. Disgusting.
- Latest U-Turn by Clegg, this time on control orders. What happened to the liberal part of Liberal Democrat?
- Castro's medical mission marches on to the shame of the civilised West. This time Cuban medics are in force in Haiti. 1200 of them. How many have the US or UK sent I wonder?
- Maidstone's town centre manager is quoted as saying: "Recession, what recession?" after higher than normal sales in the post Christmas period. I'm sure he meant no offence but I doubt the public are in such a boyant mood, I suspect they were having one final splurge before hunkering down.
- It seems that the FT are worried about the burgeoning oil price and its threat to the recovery. Oil hit $95 last week and I think the $148 high was part of the reason for the last economic collapse. Peak oil happened in 2006 and White's Law says the economy needs energy.
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Week off and the world collapses
Took a week off blogging and chose the week when so much happened locally.
Kent County Council announced 1500 job cuts. Kent Fire and Rescue are to make £16m in cuts over four years - I reckon that must be around 300 jobs to go. Kent Police are also facing around 1500 job cuts. All three of these public sector organisations have the HQ's in Maidstone, so we will be particularly badly hit. The Royal Mail sorting office in Maidstone is also set to close with about 100 jobs going.
The KM suggested that we will see 2400 jobs across the town go. This could double unemployment in Maidstone (currently at around 2100) and devastate families and the local economy.
I have signed up to the Coalition of Resistance and urge others to as well.
Our national debt as a proportion of GDP is lower than France, Germany and the US. These ridiculous cuts are not needed and will destroy lives and the economy.
George Osborne is avoiding paying his taxes, Vodafone have been let of £6bn of taxes, banks are raking it in while Clegg and Cameron have no idea what it is like to be poor.
Kent County Council announced 1500 job cuts. Kent Fire and Rescue are to make £16m in cuts over four years - I reckon that must be around 300 jobs to go. Kent Police are also facing around 1500 job cuts. All three of these public sector organisations have the HQ's in Maidstone, so we will be particularly badly hit. The Royal Mail sorting office in Maidstone is also set to close with about 100 jobs going.
The KM suggested that we will see 2400 jobs across the town go. This could double unemployment in Maidstone (currently at around 2100) and devastate families and the local economy.
I have signed up to the Coalition of Resistance and urge others to as well.
Our national debt as a proportion of GDP is lower than France, Germany and the US. These ridiculous cuts are not needed and will destroy lives and the economy.
George Osborne is avoiding paying his taxes, Vodafone have been let of £6bn of taxes, banks are raking it in while Clegg and Cameron have no idea what it is like to be poor.
Keith Taylor in Maidstone
Spend a hectic afternoon with Keith Taylor MEP in and around Maidstone yesterday.
We visited the Oaken Wood campaigners and Keith was very impressed with what they have achieved. It looks like Kent Wildlife Trust has objected to Gallagher's plans now and there is to be a public meeting in December.
We moved on to Fant Farm where 380 houses would be built under the current strategy that the council has. Keith and I signed a letter to Cllr Chris Garland asking him to redo the Strategic Housing Land Area Assessment. Also noted is a four fold increase in the social housing waiting list, so we shouldn't be reducing plans for housing too much, but perhaps refocussing them.
We moved on to Harrietsham to hear from the chair of the parish council about how the noise from the M20 is affecting residents there. The M20 runs right past the village and its surface is concrete rather than tarmac. The road noise a quarter of a mile from the motorway in the school car park meant we had to shout to be heard.
Finally we met with Janetta Sams who has been leading a campaign in Lenham (collecting 1000 signatures on a petition and presenting to the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board) to get 20mph limits around schools. Kent Police are blocking the proposal saying they won't endorse 20mph limits without traffic calming. Keith is writing to the Cheif Constable to ask them to reconsider.
We visited the Oaken Wood campaigners and Keith was very impressed with what they have achieved. It looks like Kent Wildlife Trust has objected to Gallagher's plans now and there is to be a public meeting in December.
We moved on to Fant Farm where 380 houses would be built under the current strategy that the council has. Keith and I signed a letter to Cllr Chris Garland asking him to redo the Strategic Housing Land Area Assessment. Also noted is a four fold increase in the social housing waiting list, so we shouldn't be reducing plans for housing too much, but perhaps refocussing them.
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Maidstone's Flower Pot is top CAMRA pub in Kent
Congratulations to the Flower Pot (just round the corner from me with superb beer and great music) for being the best CAMRA pub in Kent and in the top 16 in the country. I feel a beer coming on...
From CAMRA / Good Beer Guide:
From CAMRA / Good Beer Guide:
- Flower Pot, 98 Sandling Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 2RJ (Page 221, Good Beer Guide 2011)
- Filling a gap in Maidstone's portfolio, this genuine street-corner free house has much to offer real ale enthusiasts. The landlord is an evangelist for real ale and offers a diverse range of four guest ales to complement the two regular beers. The pub's top bar has panelling reputed to be from HMS Victory. Home-cooked pub food is available 12-6pm daily. Frequent live music and jam nights feature, as well as occasional beer festivals. A short walk from the railway station.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Clone Town Survey - Maidstone
Letter to the KM
Dear Editor,
It is hardly surprising that Maidstone has once again been labeled a Clone Town by the New Economics Foundation. While there are a good selection of independents away from Week St and Fremlin Walk, these two main shopping areas are simply overflowing with the chain stores that are the staples of many large towns.
There is a real problem with this. While the large corporate stores do attract shoppers to the town they also damage local businesses and the local economy. Money spent in any chain store quickly leaves the local economy whereas buying from independent shops ensures that more money is circulated locally supporting other local businesses and people.
Out of town, the damage is even worse. Opening an average out of town supermarket causes a net loss of 276 jobs and we have all seen the devastation to our local post offices in the past few years.
Maidstone needs more independent shops in its main shopping areas. Getting the balance right is essential. Rather than the filling these areas with mobile phone shops and carbon copy clothes shops, some variety would give real charm to the town. I have to ask how many Next stores or Waterstones does a town really need?
Bringing more independent stores to the main shopping areas would prove to be a real asset to Maidstone. The character and tone of the town would be drastically improved and the benefit to the people and Maidstone based businesses would be huge.
Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Green Party
Dear Editor,
It is hardly surprising that Maidstone has once again been labeled a Clone Town by the New Economics Foundation. While there are a good selection of independents away from Week St and Fremlin Walk, these two main shopping areas are simply overflowing with the chain stores that are the staples of many large towns.
There is a real problem with this. While the large corporate stores do attract shoppers to the town they also damage local businesses and the local economy. Money spent in any chain store quickly leaves the local economy whereas buying from independent shops ensures that more money is circulated locally supporting other local businesses and people.
Out of town, the damage is even worse. Opening an average out of town supermarket causes a net loss of 276 jobs and we have all seen the devastation to our local post offices in the past few years.
Maidstone needs more independent shops in its main shopping areas. Getting the balance right is essential. Rather than the filling these areas with mobile phone shops and carbon copy clothes shops, some variety would give real charm to the town. I have to ask how many Next stores or Waterstones does a town really need?
Bringing more independent stores to the main shopping areas would prove to be a real asset to Maidstone. The character and tone of the town would be drastically improved and the benefit to the people and Maidstone based businesses would be huge.
Stuart Jeffery
Maidstone Green Party
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Lib Dems give up on social justice
While I never for one moment had them as a party of the left, they have always positioned themselves as the antidote to the Tories in Maidstone. And while some of the old fashioned left / right thinking has moved on, many of the principles of the left remain - social justice, equality, workers' right etc., etc.
It is not just these prinicples that people will be thinking about when they go to the ballot box in future years. In Maidstone people will vote tactically against the Tories (as proportional representation - i.e. modern democracy - remains a pipe dream) and they have often looked to the Lib Dems. Now that the Lib Dems have come out as Tory Lite, voters are going to be thinking twice about their claims to be anything but Tories.
I suspect that the local Lib Dem councillors will be thinking similar thoughts... next year's council elections will be interesting!
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Stop Gallaghers destroying 74 acres of ancient woodland in Maidstone
This is simply crazy. There are much better alternatives to the use of Kentish Rag Stone to build houses with. While Rag Stone looks pretty, the impact on the enviroment and the fact that this resource is not renewable makes this exercise a pointless waste of time that will simply increase the profits for the company. Let's use carbon negative building materials such as hemp blocks for new houses.
And as for destroying an ancient woodland so that there can be aggregate to build more roads with...
A facebook page has started and I urge people to join it.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Gypsy and Travaller Rights under threat
One of my most formative experiences at school was in 1976/77. A new teacher arrived at East Borough Primary in Maidstone (Mr Martin). He took the class and an equal number of Gypsy / Traveller kids out on a day trip to a zoo. Mr Martin was a Gyspy himself and was keen that his class got to meet kids from the Traveller community and vice-versa. As I recall, it was a great day out!
Maidstone maintains strong support for Gypsy / Traveller communities and it was pleasing to see that the Borough has the highest number of caravans of any borough in the South East, almost twice as many as its nearest rival. Maidstone is an amazingly welcoming place at times!
Sadly our new ConDem masters are less tolerant. Yesterday's Guardian featured a letter signed by around 20 academics about the descrimanatory policy against Gypsies / Travellers: "Already the government has reversed progressive policies giving incentives for local authorities to develop Gypsy and Traveller sites, by cuts announced in the Housing and Communities Agency budget, cancelling all next year's bids for sites. The Conservatives announced plans to scrap planning and housing circulars which have started to give Gypsies and Travellers a "level playing field" in planning disputes with local authorities and planning inspectors."
Perhaps Eric Pickles needs a lesson on tolerance and equality. Maybe he should spend time with the Gypsy and Traveller communities.
Maidstone maintains strong support for Gypsy / Traveller communities and it was pleasing to see that the Borough has the highest number of caravans of any borough in the South East, almost twice as many as its nearest rival. Maidstone is an amazingly welcoming place at times!
Sadly our new ConDem masters are less tolerant. Yesterday's Guardian featured a letter signed by around 20 academics about the descrimanatory policy against Gypsies / Travellers: "Already the government has reversed progressive policies giving incentives for local authorities to develop Gypsy and Traveller sites, by cuts announced in the Housing and Communities Agency budget, cancelling all next year's bids for sites. The Conservatives announced plans to scrap planning and housing circulars which have started to give Gypsies and Travellers a "level playing field" in planning disputes with local authorities and planning inspectors."
Perhaps Eric Pickles needs a lesson on tolerance and equality. Maybe he should spend time with the Gypsy and Traveller communities.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Cannot St service still ConDemned
Greens have slammed the government's decision not to reinstate the Cannon St service from Maidstone and branded Conservative and LibDem coallition as failing the people of Maidstone. They have criticised Helen Grant for her rhetoric in the pre-election period and her failure to secure a return of the service.
Stuart Jeffery of Maidstone Green Party: "We are deeply disappointed at the failure of the new ConDem government to back public transport in Maidstone. Despite the rhetoric of both the Lib Dems and Conservatives in the pre-election period, it seems that they had little intention of improving public transport and the promise were simply false.
"Maidstone is the county town of Kent and needs better train links, not to have them continually down graded. The people of Maidstone have been misled by both Conservatives and Lib Dems; Maidstone deserves better.
"Pre-election comments by Helen Grant are especially galling. Despite her declared support for the local rail campaign group, it seems that this was simply an idle promise."
Notes:
1. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/june/2/no_changes_to_timetable.aspx?lang=en-gb
2. http://www.helengrant.org/acatalog/Keep_Our_City_Trains.html
3. http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/PDF/Election%20Policy/Liberal%20Democrat%20Environment%20Manifesto.pd
Monday, 26 April 2010
Why Maidstone should not vote Lib Dem
Our corrupt and anti democratic voting system often leads people to consider negative / tactical voting to get the least worst party elected. I think this is wrong and that people should vote positively for a party and policies that they believe in.
The decision in Maidstone is easy: Peter Caroll led the opposition to the South East's biggest on-shore wind farm and the calls to reduce fuel duty a couple of years ago (to his credit I have not heard him even claim to be green). Also he has publicly backed corporal punishment for children.
The Lib Dems need a 15% swing to win in Maidstone, i.e. they start 30% behind the Tories in the second safest seat in the county. Even with his high profile campaign for the Gurkhas and the nation swing to LDs from Labour, it is highly unlikely that they can win here.
This press release from the Greens explains more:
“In their proposed ‘green tax switch’ the Lib Dems promised to ‘cut income tax and switch to green taxes on pollution instead’ – which means either we’d have less money for schools and hospitals as we reduce pollution, or else we have to keep polluting in order to keep the tax revenue coming in. Frankly, the Lib Dems are the biggest eco-charlatans on this part of the planet.”
The decision in Maidstone is easy: Peter Caroll led the opposition to the South East's biggest on-shore wind farm and the calls to reduce fuel duty a couple of years ago (to his credit I have not heard him even claim to be green). Also he has publicly backed corporal punishment for children.
The Lib Dems need a 15% swing to win in Maidstone, i.e. they start 30% behind the Tories in the second safest seat in the county. Even with his high profile campaign for the Gurkhas and the nation swing to LDs from Labour, it is highly unlikely that they can win here.
This press release from the Greens explains more:
A Green Party spokesperson today branded the Lib Dems “the biggest eco-charlatans on this part of the planet”:
“Objectively speaking, the Lib Dems are the least trustworthy party on the environment. They have proven themselves the party most likely to say one thing and do another. Their track record is spotty to say the least.
“They say they want a low-carbon economy with new green jobs. But last week they revealed a plan to put the pathetic sum of £3bn into this, promising only a few thousand new jobs. The Green Party, on the other hand, has started with science-based CO2 targets, done the arithmetic and shown how to pay for a £44bn green investment package, which would create over a million new jobs.
“The Lib Dems talk about stopping roadbuilding but they’ve supported practically every new road from the Newbury bypass to the M74, and they’re still supporting the Lancaster Northern Bypass. They opposed Heathrow’s third runway but they’ve supported Manchester’s second runway and airport expansions just about everywhere else. They talk about green waste management but they currently support incinerator projects in Exeter, Plymouth and Barnstaple. In Essex they’ve proclaimed support for a zero waste strategy, which means no incineration, but they’re still supporting incinerators in Essex.
“They say they want a zero carbon economy by 2050, but they’ve opposed windfarm proposals in Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon and Worcestershire. In Lewisham they recently voted against a Green Party budget package that would have insulated 25,000 homes for free.
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Independent Review for Maternity in Maidstone
Good news for Maidstone, the Secretary of State has agreed to review the plan to chnage maternity services at Maidstone Hospital. This has just appeared in the KM.
Monday, 18 January 2010
MASH at Downing St
A cross party delegation from Maidstone will accompany MASH to Downing St this morning to present thousands of signatures against the move of obstetric (doctor led maternity) services to Pembury from Maidstone. I will be joining Peter Carroll, Helen Grant, Rav Seerthrum, Maidstone's parliamentary candidates, plus Sarah Waters, local community campaigner, Heather, Mary and Anna.
Although I am a great supporter of midwifery led maternity care (child birth should not be medicalised unless there is a very good reason), it does seem strange to only have an obstetrics unit at Pembury rather than in Maidstone. Maidstone has much higher deprivation than Tunbridge Wells, a higher and younger population, and must have the greater number of births. The two sites are 17 miles apart, a route that takes around 40 minutes by car on a good day, an hour on the bus and two changes by train. Realistically, it would be better to have obstetrics provided at both sites.
Although I am a great supporter of midwifery led maternity care (child birth should not be medicalised unless there is a very good reason), it does seem strange to only have an obstetrics unit at Pembury rather than in Maidstone. Maidstone has much higher deprivation than Tunbridge Wells, a higher and younger population, and must have the greater number of births. The two sites are 17 miles apart, a route that takes around 40 minutes by car on a good day, an hour on the bus and two changes by train. Realistically, it would be better to have obstetrics provided at both sites.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Campaign to make Maidstone's streets safer
Good coverage of the launch of our 20mph Maidstone campaign so far. Broadcasts going out on KMFM and Radio Kent, and it is on the Kent Online website.
The launch is this on Saturday 25th April outside County Hall at 10am where we will be handing out leaflets and getting signatures on a petition.
I was unsurprised but still saddened by some of the comments on the KM website. The way some people react to anything that threatens their desire to drive quickly is predictable, but it was good to get a couple of positive comments too.
One day the petrol heads will wake up and smell the diesel??? Well at least I hope that they can see that there are other ways to enjoy life rather than endangering others.
If you are around on Saturday, please join us. The Farmers' Market will be there to.
The launch is this on Saturday 25th April outside County Hall at 10am where we will be handing out leaflets and getting signatures on a petition.
I was unsurprised but still saddened by some of the comments on the KM website. The way some people react to anything that threatens their desire to drive quickly is predictable, but it was good to get a couple of positive comments too.
One day the petrol heads will wake up and smell the diesel??? Well at least I hope that they can see that there are other ways to enjoy life rather than endangering others.
If you are around on Saturday, please join us. The Farmers' Market will be there to.
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Traffic calming in Maidstone
Maidstone's roads are unbelievable as are some of the drivers.
I saw two drivers mount and drive along the pavement to get past a queues of traffic. Frustratingly I couldn't see their number plates so I couldn't report them to the police. I then witnessed a driver overtake a line of queuing cars about 200m long, on the wrong side of the road only to try to pull in at the far end... the driver came past the queue at high speed too. Any pedestrian would have been minced.
I know that traffic is annoying but these dangerous and illegal practices must stop. Where was the law - nowhere to be seen.
Rant over...
I saw two drivers mount and drive along the pavement to get past a queues of traffic. Frustratingly I couldn't see their number plates so I couldn't report them to the police. I then witnessed a driver overtake a line of queuing cars about 200m long, on the wrong side of the road only to try to pull in at the far end... the driver came past the queue at high speed too. Any pedestrian would have been minced.
I know that traffic is annoying but these dangerous and illegal practices must stop. Where was the law - nowhere to be seen.
Rant over...
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