Chalkwell 326 / 327 Bus Services to Return to Normal from 29th March 2021

All Chalkwell Coach Hire bus services are due to return to their normal timetable from Monday the 29th of March, and journeys that were suspended during national Coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be running again.

Face coverings remain compulsory on all public transport unless you are exempt.

For travel information on routes, times, tickets and fares, visit: www.chalkwell.co.uk/bus-services

Upchurch Matters

Consultation for 78 New Homes on Land North of Moor Street, Rainham

Click map to enlarge.

Bellway Homes are proposing a residential development of 78 new homes (including 25% affordable housing), together with associated access, parking, open space, landscaping and drainage on land North of Moor Street, Rainham.

Access to the site is proposed off of a new roundabout junction from Otterham Quay Lane, which will serve the Leigh Academy Rainham.

The developer is yet to make a formal planning application and has published a consultation website with their proposal asking residents for their views ahead of submitting a detailed planning application to Medway Council.

To read more about the proposal, visit the Bellway Homes consultation website at: www.landatmoorstreet.co.uk

Upchurch Matters

Extra Capacity on Southeastern Trains from 29th March 2021

Southeastern will begin running longer trains from next week.

With the government roadmap easing of lockdown restrictions and a gradual but steady increase in usage, capacity on Southeastern services will be boosted by adding extra carriages from Monday 29th March. Longer trains will provide additional space at peak and off-peak times in anticipation of more customers returning to the railway over the Spring when lockdown measures will be eased further. The move follows the boost to capacity on Monday 8th March when schoolchildren returned to travelling on the railway network. A national network timetable change in May will see a further significant boost in train services across the country. Summary of changes to train lengths: All off-peak services on the London Charing Cross - Hastings line will be formed of eight carriages. All off-peak services on the London Charing Cross - Tonbridge - Ramsgate line will be formed of eight carriages. All off-peak services on the London Victoria - Medway Towns - Ramsgate line will be formed of eight carriages. All peak time mainline services will be formed of at least eight carriages with many of these formed of twelve carriages. Busier peak time Highspeed services to and from London St Pancras will be formed of twelve carriages.

To check your journey before you travel, visit >> www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/timetable

Upchurch Matters

Upchurch Village Easter Trail

Hi everyone,

All Easter Trail pictures should now be displayed in house windows and at locations in Upchurch.

There are 23 pictures in total depicting Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection.

Children can download and print the map and list to follow Jesus' story around the village.

If you have been given a picture, please make sure you have it clearly on display.

Thank you

Very important

If you need to leave your home for any of the permitted reasons, please stay safe and always stick to the current government rules around exercising and being outdoors, which you can read here >> http://bit.ly/2XYOjhn

Have fun, stay safe, and we hope you enjoy the Trail!

Gill Gay

Update: Southern Water Wastewater Pumped Main - Lower Halstow to Motney Hill

Residents living in Lower Halstow, Upchurch and Lower Rainham will have seen tankers transporting sewerage from the wastewater pumping station at Lower Halstow to the Southern Water treatment works at Motney Hill, Rainham.

The Tankers have been required to transport the sewerage while works are carried out to repair burst sections of sewerage pipework that cross the marsh between Motney Hill, Rainham and Poot Lane, Upchurch.

Thank you to Barry Woodham at Southern Water and Vice Chairman of Lower Halstow Parish Council Martin Szabo for keeping residents updated on the progress of the works.

Below is the latest update received from southern Water:

Dear customer,

We would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the disruption to the community while we work to repair the damaged section of pipework. We’re aware that the continued presence of tankers in Lower Haltow village will affect the community in different ways.

Immediate next steps

The site team have met with Natural England on 24th March as the damaged pipe is located in an area that is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

We have reached an agreement with Natural England to install an additional section of overland pipe, approximately 900m in length, which will bypass the damaged section of the pipe. Once this pipe is installed and operational, we can return Lower Halstow Wastewater Pumping Station (WPS) to normal operations and remove the need for tanker activity in the area.

We are currently working with landowners to agree access through their land and Lower Halstow Parish Council will receive a daily update until the work on site has been completed.

Community engagement

Our Stakeholder Manager, Barry Woodham, County Customer Manager, Kelly Robinson and Customer Case Lead, Emma Healing will be working together to ensure that weekly communications are sent to all residents, alongside the daily updates to Lower Halstow Parish Council.

Future resilience

We are looking closely at the future resilience of the pumped main and a project team are assessing the viable options and associated timescales of replacing or refurbishing the line from Lower Halstow to Motney Hill Wastewater Treatment Works. Any work that is undertaken will have a dedicated communications manager to ensure that all aspects of the long term project are updated to the community throughout.

We appreciate your feedback

We welcome any questions or concerns you may have so please feel free to contact:

Barry Woodham at: barry.woodham@southernwater.co.uk or

Emma Healing at: emma.healing@southernwater.co.uk

Yours faithfully

Andrew Morris - Project Manager

Southern Water

Voters Urged to Register in Time to Have Their Say in May Local Elections

On Thursday 6th May residents in Swale will have their say on who represents them at Kent County Council, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Swale Borough Council Sheerness Ward by-election, Warden Parish Council by-election and Faversham Town Council by-elections for Abbey Ward, Priory Ward & Watling Ward.

To vote in these important elections, residents must be on the electoral register. With the deadline to register to vote fast approaching, Swale Borough Council is urging people who have not registered at their current address to make sure they are registered in time.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Monday 19th April. It takes just five minutes to apply online at: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. This year residents in Swale will be voting in a total of seven different elections and will select:

• Kent County councillors, who represent their local area and residents, and contribute to the development of policies in areas such as transport, social care or housing
• The Police and Crime Commissioner, who oversees your local police force and ensures they are prioritising what matters to you
• Swale Borough Council by-election for Sheerness Ward
• Warden Parish Council by-election
• Faversham Town Council by-elections for Abbey Ward, Priory Ward and Watling Ward.

Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance at the Electoral Commission said:

“You can’t have your say in these important elections unless you are registered to vote. It’s quick and easy - it takes just five minutes online at: www.gov.uk/registertovote

“If you have recently turned 18 or moved home, it is particularly important that you act to ensure that you are registered to vote.

“If you were registered to vote in the last election and your details have not changed, you don’t need to take any action. If in doubt, you can check with your local authority on: 01795 417 316.”

Voters have a range of options for casting their ballot - in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote. For those who choose to vote in person, polling stations will be safe places to vote on 6th May.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5:00pm on 20th April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5:00pm on 27th April.

For information on elections in their area, how to register to vote, or how to apply to vote by post or by proxy, voters can visit: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter. This page will continue to be updated ahead of the polls.

Swale Borough Council