Medway Council - More than 30 Electric Vehicle Charging Points will be Installed Across Medway this Summer

Medway Council is due to install 34 electric vehicle charging points in three council-owned car parks later this month.

The charging points will be the first to be installed in public car parks in Medway and the council has plans to install more in other car parks in the future.

Electric charging points will be installed in the Rochester multi-storey car park in Cory’s Road, in Station Road car park, Rainham, and in the Commercial Road car park in Strood.

Medway Council has received £85,420 from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to install the charging points as part of the council’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

Cllr Howard Doe, Deputy Leader of Medway Council, who is leading on Medway’s Climate Change agenda, said:

“We’re committed to helping people who live, work and visit Medway cut their carbon emissions and installing public charging points for electric vehicles supports our aspiration to become carbon neutral in Medway by 2050. There are a number of small changes that we can all make in our daily lives which will have a big difference to our climate including recycling, using public transport and, if you’re thinking of getting a new car, switching to an electric vehicle. I would encourage residents to find out more about the steps we’re taking in the fight against climate change by visiting medway.gov.uk/climatechange”

Cllr Phil Filmer, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Frontline Services, said:

“I am delighted that we will be installing 34 electric vehicle charging points in three of our car parks this summer. With more people using electric cars, and the government planning to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, I am pleased that we will soon be able to offer public charging facilities to residents, businesses and visitors. We also have exciting plans to expand the number of publicly available electric charging points in Medway over the coming years. I look forward to seeing the works progress.”

Connected Kerb will be carrying out the works which are due to begin in all three car parks at the end of June and are expected to be completed later this year.

Medway Council is also working with Cenex to develop an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) Strategy for Medway.

To find out more about how the council is tackling climate change in Medway, visit: medway.gov.uk/climatechange

Medway Council

AMENDMENT: Urgent Road Closure - Old Ferry Road, Iwade

It will be necessary to close Old Ferry Road, Iwade from Wednesday 23rd June 2021 for up to 2 days.

 

The entire length of Old Ferry Road will be closed.

 

The alternative route is via Sheppey Way.

 

It is planned that the road will be closed between 09:00 hrs and 17:00 hrs each day.

 

This is to enable carriageway patching to be carried out by Kent County Council.

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Major Upgrade and Improvements to the M2 Junction 5/A249 Stockbury Roundabout Get the Go-Ahead

View of proposed upgrade and improvements to the slip roads and

junction approaches at the M2 Junction 5/A249 Stockbury Roundabout.

Public Inquiry decision announced

The Secretary of State for Transport has approved proposals from Highways England for upgrade and improvements to the M2 Junction 5/A249 Stockbury Roundabout.

Grant Shapps decision follows a consultation period for interested parties to submit objections and representations before the virtual Public Inquiry, held in November 2020. The Secretary of State ordered the Public Inquiry because of concerns and objections raised by Stockbury Parish Council, MP Helen Whately, CPRE, local business owners and the Green Party.

Upgrade and improvement proposals

Highways England's proposals show the current roundabout being replaced with a new flyover interchange to provide a free-flowing and uninterrupted link for drivers staying on the A249 to free up extra space on the Stockbury Roundabout.

Two new dedicated free-flowing slip roads will be built, with a left turn for traffic travelling from the A249 southbound to the M2 westbound and a left turn from the A249 northbound to the M2 eastbound.

Maidstone Road to the A249 Stockbury Roundabout will be closed, and Maidstone Road will be re-routed to link with Oad Street.

The existing junction of Oad Street with the A249 will be closed, with a new link provided south of the existing Oad Street to connect with the A249 Stockbury Roundabout.

Highways England says:

“The M2 Junction 5/A249 Stockbury Roundabout cannot cope with existing traffic flows. The junction is also one of the top 50 national casualty locations on England’s major ‘A’ roads and motorways. 

One aim is to improve journey times. Our improvement scheme will reduce delays meaning people will have quicker and more reliable journeys.

The scheme will improve the safety of the junction for all road users. The improvements will also support economic growth as increasing capacity at the junction will support future housing and employment growth in the area.

Improving the Stockbury Interchange will bring real benefit to the drivers who use this junction daily and will improve the flow of traffic around this junction, providing a safer and more integrated network for everyone.”

Support and objections

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson has been a campaigner for the junction upgrade gaining support from Conservative group councillors, but the controlling coalition at Swale Borough Council withdrew its financial contribution towards the junction upgrade, saying:

“Our budget is much smaller than others, and we regard it as our responsibility to support our local people with better services and facilities, whilst it is the job of Highways England and Kent Highways to facilitate improved road networks. We support their wish to improve Junction 5, but we are not handing out gratuities that should rightly be spent on Swale Council priorities.”

Campaigners for sustainable housing based on an identifiable local need fear the decision to upgrade the junction will unlock a flood of developer lead planning applications for large housing estates along the A249 corridor without supporting infrastructure resulting in the loss of many acres of valuable agricultural land and eventually putting the A249 and the other roundabouts along its length (also pencilled in for upgrades) back to being “overcapacity” again.

Stuart Jeffery, who spoke for the Green Party at the Public Inquiry strongly criticised the decision as a “climate failure” and estimates the upgrade scheme will add around 100k tonnes of CO2 annually to the atmosphere.

Road safety and going forward

Figures published by the AA have revealed the 18 miles long A249 connecting Maidstone to Sheerness to be the 9th most dangerous road in the UK.

Stockbury Parish Council says:

“We will continue to work with Kent County Council to secure funding for a bridge or signalised junction to be added to the agreed upgrade plans, to mitigate the additional dangers that the new design will cause and the years of disruption villagers face, and increased risk to life before mitigating alterations can be introduced.”

The decision made by the Secretary of State for Transport can be viewed on the Programme Officer’s website at: www.programmeofficers.co.uk/M2J5/Decision.pdf

For more information, visit: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/our-work/south-east/m2-junction-5-improvements

No start date has been announced for the £92 million upgrade project to begin, although works could start as early as September 2021.

Upchurch Matters

Parking Outside Upchurch's Co-op - Have Your Say

Upchurch's Co-op currently receives 1 main lorry delivery per day.

Co-op colleagues place traffic cones in the road outside the store to ensure delivery lorries have quick and safe access to the side gate and have the space to park safely and are not turned away.

Once deliveries are in store, colleagues move the cones back onto the pavement so customers can park outside.

your store
your say

Does removing the traffic cones after the lorries have gone make parking closer to the store easier?

Does it improve your shopping experience or not?

Please tell us, using store number 7889 at: www.coop.co.uk/yoursay

You could win £250 of Co-op vouchers - 10 prizes to be won per month.

Thank you

Nik

Manager - Upchurch’s Co-op

Land Rover Stolen - Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/105865/21

Between Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th of June, a white Land Rover Velar, reg number: XCA 55Y was stolen from Quilters Yard, Upchurch.

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

St Mary's Church Fundraising Garden Sale

Mary Stone