News Archive - 2008

Welcome to the Leeds Village News Archive 2008 page.

Here we've put together a collection of the news items and events that happened in the village throughout the year of 2008. We are only a small village, but as you will see from the items reported on, there is a lot going on here - go on have a read.

Click on an item in the Scroller on the right, to jump to that particular news item.

View the village 'Diary' to see what's coming up in Leeds and the current 'News' page to find out about current events.

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Archive Items

1st December - Leeds Village Blocked Yet Again

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Yet again the villagers of Leeds suffered the inconvenience of the all too familiar sight - the over-weight vehicle.

The HGV sat for quite a period of time on the bend by Foley Farm House, blocking the road and causing annoyance to villagers and through traffic. The queuing traffic with engines ticking over, impatiently waiting to continue their journey. For some the wait was too much, with complete disregard to peoples' property, residents driveways provided the ideal turnaround.

The Police attended and supervised the incident and eventually the stream of traffic started to flow through the village once again - Roll on By-pass.

01/12/2008

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Leeds Parish Plan Published

Leeds Parish Plan Cover, drawn by Lizzie Croucher Following on from the successful Parish Plan launch presentation at Leeds Castle on Tuesday, 2nd December. The Parish plan has now been published and should be finding its way through villagers letterboxes shortly.

The Leeds Parish plan sets out to describe how the village community views itself developing over the next decade, and outlines the actions needed to achieve that vision.

Go to the Parish Plan page to find out more information and for a link to download a copy of the plan.

06/12/2008

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Police Target Over-Weight Vehicles in Leeds

Vehicles travelling through the villages of Leeds and Langley, exceeding the 17 Tonne weight limit, were today (24/9/08) the target of Police officers from the Maidstone Rural Neighbourhood team. Several vehicles that were flouting the weight limit were stopped and issued with fixed penalty tickets.

Over-Weight vehicles are a common problem in small villages, with the narrow roads unable to cope with their weight. The vehicles often get stuck if two meet, holding up the traffic and causing damage to the road and property on route.

Don't forget, you can still play your part by reporting any sightings you have by filling in our on-line Over-Weight Vehicle form, if you have photos, that's even better. Click these links to read other news items about Leeds problem with overweight vehicles.

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Letter from Kent Highways

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Local resident and Parish Councillor, Jenny Griffiths wrote to Kent Highways to express her concern about the increasing volume of HGV's using the B2163 through Leeds.

As we all know the weight limit is 17 tons, this is often ignored. The Police are now actively prosecuting those that ignore the restriction. You can help by recording any over-weight vehicle you see travelling through the village - more details on our Over-Weight Vehicle page.

Some may think we are just bored and have nothing better to do - I would invite them to sit in my home and feel the building shake when one thunders through the village.

Click on the letter to the right to view the full size copy - You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it, details on how to obtain it free are here.

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Kent International Gateway - Have Your Say

At a meeting of the Joint Parishes Group on 8th November, representatives from many local Parish Councils were updated by Maidstone Borough Council, including its Planning Department, with regard to the Application submitted by KIG. The proposal poses two major impacts – TRAFFIC and the ENVIRONMENT. There is no doubt at all, that this Parish would be directly and adversely affected should the Application be approved, so please read on for relevant points – it’s frightening!

The site, described as ‘the biggest development in Kent in our lifetime’, runs from Thurnham Lane in the West, to Junction 8 M20, Holllingbourne to the east, covers 247 acres of land, is 2.5k long, and sits at the base of the beautiful North Downs escarpment – there would be a massive visual impact, particularly from the Downs.
The largest of the 8 warehouses would be 120,000 square meters - six times the size of Bearsted Village Green or 10 times bigger than the largest B & Q warehouse, and 14m high
Major pollution would result – light, noise, vibration, water aquifers, etc. and destruction of the environment and natural habitat would be catastrophic - – the light and noise generated would undoubtedly affect this Parish
Water courses, roads, footpaths and bridleways would need to be either diverted or closed altogether
Major road work would be required on the A20 from the M20 roundabout to Willington Street, but there is no proposal to widen the already congested M20 or make any alteration / improvement to the busy Junction 8. It would also seriously impact on other local roads leading to these major routes.
3000 lorry movements, mainly maximum size HGVs primarily from Continental Europe, every 24 hours – that’s 125 per hour, or roughly 2 lorries entering or leaving the site on the Ashford Road every minute of the day and night!
Creation of new railways sidings, with line running into and through the warehouses, with constant shunting, loading / off-loading 24 hours a day
Extensive re-modelling would be required, with most spoil needing to be moved from the site, creating major traffic implications
3,500 jobs would be created over the 7 year building period, primarily (80%) for warehouse operatives and drivers. It is estimated that less than 10% would live in the local area, resulting in a huge increase of vehicular movement, housing and health implications for the work force, a large percentage anticipated from eastern Europe
Potential for major accident and / or terrorism attack – would our already busy and overstretched emergency services be able to cope and who would pay – likely the local community
Serious quality of life issues and loss of rural peace and quiet, especially for those living closest to the development – Bearsted, Thurnham and Hollingbourne.

Further details and a lot of information regarding this Application can be found on MBC’s Web Site at: www.digitalmaidstone.co.uk or you can also visit the site or sign up to the ‘STOP KIG’ campaign at: www.stopkig.org where you will also find a map of the proposed development site – this map is also displayed on the Parish notice boards.

The local press and media will also continue to feature the development and updates – KM, Downs Mail, Radio Kent, local TV news, etc., so keep an ear or eye out for further information from these sources

The Parish Council is opposing this development both in its own right and also as a member of the Joint Parishes Group, and no doubt many residents will also wish to make representation individually – the more people who object, the stronger the case for refusing the Application will be.

The initial date for comment is 27th November, there is still time for you make your feelings known regarding this development up to and beyond this date, either on line or by writing to: Steve Scott-Brown, Planning Department, Maidstone Borough Council, 13 Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, ME16 8HG - quoting reference: MA/07/2092

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Over-Weight Vehicles - Operation Reconsider Feedback

Following the successful Police attendance at various sites in the Maidstone area targeting the flouting of weight and width restrictions. PC Stuart Russell-Thomas of the Maidstone Rural Neighbourhood Team gave this report.

"Operation Reconsider was conceived as response to the problems of goods vehicles contravening weight and width restrictions on roads in the Maidstone Rural Area. In particular the problems on B2163 between Leeds and Langley and the bridges across the Medway at Teston and East Farleigh have been highlighted as local priorities through PACT meetings.

The first Op Reconsider was run on 24th and 25th September 2008. Police Officers and PCSO's from the Maidstone Rural Team conducted checks of vehicles at Leeds Castle entrance, Langley Heath, Teston bridge, East Farleigh bridge, B2015 at Nettlestead and Bottlescrew Hill, Boughton Monchelsea. These officers were joined by officers from the BCU Motorcycle Team who conducted checks at Langley Heath and Teston bridge and generally supported the officers from the neighbourhood team. In addition, due to low volume of heavy traffic at Nettlestead a speed check was conducted here on the second day.

Media attended on the first day and reports were included on Meridian TV, BBC South East Today, Kent Messenger and Invicta FM. Local councillors and residents were also interviewed by the media.

Checks were run from 0730hrs until 1430hrs and the following results were obtained:

Teston
• 36 non-endorseable fixed penalty tickets (FPN) (£30) issued in relation to width offences.
• 1 non-endorseable FPN issued for a seatbelt offence
• 1 endorseable FPN for failing to stop for police.
• 1 arrest for drink driving

Leeds/Langley
• 19 non endorseable FPNs for weight offences
• 10 foreign HGVs turned around and given alternative route
• 6 tachograph checks

Nettlestead
• 3 FPNs issued for weight offences
• 5 endorseable FPNs (£60 and 3 points) for speeding
• 1 summons issued for speeding

East Farleigh
• The check on the first day indicated that the problem here is not as severe as at Teston. Only two vehicles were warned and these had only just entered the restricted area and then turned round.

Boughton Monchelsea
• The check on the first day indicated that the problem here is very sporadic and no overweight vehicles were seen during the check.

In addition to the above, six illegal immigrants were arrested at junction eight services by the motorcycle team and a male suspected of facilitating illegal immigrants was stopped and questioned by officers on the second day as a result of information given to us verbally by a member of public at the Leeds stop check.

In relation to weight limits, six drivers were following SatNav systems and two others were following route maps printed from the internet. Most drivers were either unaware of the law in relation to the gross weight of their vehicle or believed they could use the road a short cut. Many drivers believed that as they were empty or under their gross weight that they could use the road. The restriction signs include the words “Except for Access” which drivers believed meant they could use the road as an access route to the A274/A20.

In relation to the width restrictions it is apparent that most drivers are unaware of the restrictions and the width of their vehicles. They were also confused by the “Except for Access” element of the sign and again believed they could use the road to access the Tonbridge Road or Lower Road.

Conclusion
In short, driver ignorance was the cause of the majority of the offences committed. It is clear that the road signs are confusing to motorists who assume “except for access” gives them carte blanche to use the road subject to the restriction. I still maintain that an informational element to these signs such as “no access to the A274” at the Leeds end of the B2163 or “no access to A26/Lower Road” at Teston would indicate with better clarity the extent of the prohibition to drivers. A road improvement form has been sent to Highways twice in the last two years in relation to this request and action in this respect has been refused.

Foreign drivers are committing offences at Leeds/Langley and were responsible for a third of offences detected during this operation. A system of on-the-spot fines would enable the police to deal adequately with these infringements.

What is clear is that drivers are confused, unsure of legislation, do not notice or fail to observe road signs and follow SatNav or routemaps blindly."

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Leeds & Broomfield Church of England Primary School - Help Needed

Your village school needs your help!
Are you a dab hand at DIY, painting walls
or weeding the garden?

We’d like to tap into your community spirit and ask you to
join other willing village volunteers to improve
our school’s environment

If you’re able to help in any way please contact
Headteacher Steve McGill for details on
01622 – 861398

23/12/2008