UPDATE: Thursday 13th February 2020 - Notification of Major Gas Works: A2 - High Street, Newington

Our project is progressing well, and we have completed our engineering works along Keycol Hill by the junction of Rook Lane. We have begun our process of reinstatement, for everyone’s safety while this work is carried out, temporary traffic lights remain in place around our work area.

To guarantee gas supplies to properties in the area, we needed to revise our programme of works, especially during the winter period where the gas demand increases.

From Wednesday, 19th February we'll be upgrading our network in the A2, working from Mill Lane to outside No. 97 London Road, Newington. Whilst we are replacing the old cast iron pipe with new plastic pipe, we will also be transferring two large rotary meters supplying gas to the nurseries along this section to the new main. For everyone’s continued safety, temporary two-way traffic lights will be in place around our work area for approximately five weeks. We will also need to close Mill Lane at this junction, a signed diversion will be in place for motorists and pedestrian access will be maintained.

Click map to enlarge.

From Monday, 6th April we’ll progress along the A2 upgrading our gas network in the High Street between Bull Lane and Wickham Close. Due to the location and size of our gas main, we need to close the A2 - High Street for approximately four weeks. Signed diversion routes will be in place for local traffic and pedestrian access will be maintained. Following consultation with Medway Council and Highways England, HGVs will be diverted via the M2 to avoid our work completely.

Click map to enlarge.

Click map to enlarge.

To minimise future disruptions, whilst we are working in the High Street, we’ll be removing an existing gas valve located in the road and relocating it to the grass verge nearby. Kent County Council is also speaking to all utilities seeking collaborative working during our closures.

To complete our project as quickly as possible from Monday, 6th April we’ll be working simultaneous upgrading our network in Keycol Hill at Key Street roundabout. For everyone’s safety, the A2 / Keycol Hill westbound lane will be reduced and restricted to access only for smaller vehicles and deliveries. All other motorists will need to follow the signed diversion route in place. We would encourage all commuters to please, plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey.

Click map to enlarge.

We’re continuing to plan the future phases of our work in consultation with Kent County Council. We’ll provide details of our plans once confirmed.

We appreciate your understanding and patience while we carry out essential gas mains replacement work. All being well we plan to complete our necessary upgrades by the end of the school summer holidays.

SGN Gas

Space

Male Detained by Police Officers | Theft from Vehicle - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/26991/20; 46/27119/20; 46/27120/20

A male was seen trying car door handles in Playstool Close, Newington at 3:00am on Wednesday 12th of February.  A male carrying items that could have been taken from several open cars was detained by Police officers.

Crime Number: 46/27810/20

On the same night, a very old dashcam and an equally old phone were stolen from a vehicle in Iwade Road, Newington.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

Space

Upchurch River Valley Golf Course - Poolside Bar Presents Charity Quiz Night

Contact the Poolside Bar to book your teams place

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Space

Medway Council - Medway Awarded Funding to Continue Work with Rough Sleepers

Medway Council has been awarded more than £860,000 to continue providing help and support for rough sleepers in Medway.

The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government has awarded the council £867,450 funding from the government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative for the 2020/2021 financial year.

The funding will be used to continue the council’s work supporting those residents who find themselves homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Medway Council offers a range of support for people with nowhere to live including a specialist outreach team which liaises with rough sleepers and advises them of the support available from a range of organisations. The council also offers specialist help to vulnerable women, people with mental health problems and provides a variety of accommodation all year round.

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services, said:

“We welcome this funding which will allow us to continue to offer a range of support for people with nowhere to live. Thanks to this additional government funding we have helped house more than 100 rough sleepers since July 2018. Kingsley House in Gillingham offers specialist advice and support, including on the factors which could cause someone to become homeless such as debt and rent arrears. I would encourage anyone who is homeless, or is at risk of homelessness, to visit Kingsley House to access the support available.”

For more information about the council’s housing services visit: www.medway.gov.uk/housing

Medway Council

Space

Poolside Bar & Courtyard - Live Music with Decades Showband at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Tickets on sale at the Poolside Bar

£5.00 per person

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Space

New Chalkwell 326/327/328 Bus Timetable Announced

Chalkwell Coach Hire announced a consultation at the end of November 2019 on potential alterations to the 326/327/328 bus service that links Sittingbourne to the Medway Towns via the villages of Newington, Upchurch and Lower Halstow.

Residents were invited to submit their views to the company either in writing or by completing an online consultation form by Sunday 15th December.

The bus operator has now announced a revised timetable, starting from Monday 24th February 2020.

in an update posted to their website and Facebook page on Wednesday 12th February, they wrote:

“In recent months the 326/327/328 service has been affected by the SGN roadworks along the A2, causing delays throughout the day. We have a legal duty to run a punctual service, and we also know this is what our customers deserve and expect. These roadworks are due to run until October 2020.

A number of users and residents also submitted responses to our consultation, which was carried out prior to making any changes. We appreciate the time taken to respond, and the insight it gave us was invaluable.

Working with SGN and KCC we have now been able to achieve a position where there is a revised timetable to take into account the extended journey times, with no overall loss of service.

The key features are:

• More direct 326 services between Sittingbourne and Medway.

• One journey in each direction will meet up with a smaller feeder vehicle to serve Lower Halstow and Upchurch.

• The busiest morning 327 journeys will still provide a same-seat experience, with no need to change to a feeder vehicle.

• The villages of Upchurch and Lower Halstow will still receive the same number of bus departures.

• There are minor changes to the morning school buses into Sittingbourne, with the 327 serving Horsham Lane, then Oak Lane and direct to the A2 and Newington. The 328 will start from Lower Halstow.

The new timetable can be found here

For updates on roadworks please check here

While we do need to make changes to take account of the roadworks, I do hope that users can appreciate that we have tried to minimise any inconvenience. Where possible, we have introduced minor service improvements, benefiting users overall.”

Upchurch Matters

Space