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Earlier
Cycle Rail funding boost for Maidstone
Passengers using Maidstone East railway station will soon benefit from improved cycle parking facilities, as part of a £330,000 project to encourage rail commuters to incorporate cycling into their journey.
Following a successful bid for Government funding by Southeastern and Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone East station has been awarded £150,000 match funding from the Department for Transport for a new Cycle Hub at Maidstone East railway station. The funding supplements a similar amount already secured for the station by Maidstone Council.
A new Cycle Rail hub for Maidstone
The new hub will mean more spaces for cyclists using the railway for commuting or days out, supporting sustainable, environmentally-friendly travel to the station.
The new hub will also include new facilities for cyclists, including repair stands and will be protected with CCTV and new lighting, for extra security.
The funding will also see the cycle route to Mote Hill improved.
David Wornham, Passenger Services Director for Southeastern, said:
“The opportunity to use a sustainable transport mode to get to and from the station is very important to our passengers, who not only want to be reassured tat their bike has a space available, but that it will be safe and secure while they undertake their journeys, and that other facilities will be on hand to maintain and repair their bike when they need it.
“I’m delighted for both our passengers and our partners at Maidstone Borough Council that Southeastern’s bid for these funds from the Government has been successful. In addition, improvements to the forecourt and the environment surrounding the station being delivered by Kent County Council will make a huge difference to everyone that uses the station.”
And more improvements on the way for Maidstone East
Additional improvements are also planned for Maidstone East Railway Station to enhance the travelling experience for passengers. Earlier this year Southeastern and Network Rail conducted a public engagement exercise which showed widespread support for improvements to the facilities on Platforms 2 and 3, including toilets and a ticket vending machine.
Following the feedback, it was resolved to make these changes to improve the travelling experience for passengers. The new facilities will be operational from summer 2019.
Which party’s general election pledges are best for cyclists The Guardian compares the manifestos,
In an election dominated by Brexit, the climate crisis and the NHS, cycling is not most people’s top priority. However, with transport now accounting for a higher share of overall emissions than any other sector, helping people drive less and cycle more is arguably crucial in tackling climate change.
Improving conditions for cycling could help our congested, polluted towns and cities, tackle the inactivity crisis, reduce the burden on the NHS and make streets and neighbourhoods safer and more pleasant.
The Walking and Cycling Alliance wants £17 per person per year to be spent on active travel, rising to £34 per person by 2025. Spending is currently £7 per person annually.
But some parties are recognising cycling’s potential and coming up with innovative and needed ideas. Others remain stuck in car land. Here is a quick guide to the key policies of the main parties. Read their full article
Travel Choices – Cycling – A Healthy Option - Summit
Report and presentations available on a dedicated page.
Read the response of Helen Grant MP:
From: GRANT, Helen <helen.grant.mp@parliament.uk>
Sent: 30 April 2019 12:16
To: MCCF Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum
Subject: RE: Travel Choices – Cycling – A Healthy Option - Summit - 16th April
Thank you for your recent emails regarding cycling. I did receive your original correspondence, but had not yet had the opportunity to respond to it. I regularly receive a high volume of correspondence each week from constituents and I aim to respond within three to four weeks, although I often have to prioritise the most urgent cases, where people risk losing their housing or income.
I appreciate your commitment to promoting cycling and I feel that for too long, cycling has been seen as a niche activity rather than a normal activity for all. If we can increase levels of walking and cycling, the benefits are substantial. For people, it means cheaper travel and better health. For businesses, it means increased productivity and increased footfall in shops. And for society as a whole it means lower congestion, better air quality, and vibrant, attractive places and communities.
The Government will directly invest £50 million to provide a further 1.3 million children with cycling proficiency training through the Bikeability scheme, £101 million to deliver the Cycle City Ambition scheme in full, £85 million for Highways England to make improvements to 200 sections of the road network in England for cyclists, and £80 million for local cycling and walking schemes through the Access Fund. This is on top of various devolved funding streams which local authorities have and are able to invest in walking and cycling.
Through this funding, the Government aims to deliver increased safety for both cyclists and also walkers across England, better mobility with higher quality cycling facilities and more towns and cities which have cycling and walking at their heart.
Reducing congestion is particularly important in Maidstone, and matters relating to planning and infrastructure are issues I regularly campaign on both at a local and national level. In spite of the adoption of Maidstone’s local plan, I will be continuing my campaign to ensure that any future development is accompanied by the appropriate infrastructure to support it. I will be particularly focused on working with both Maidstone Borough Council, as the planning authority, and Kent County Council, as the highways authority, to ensure that appropriate provision is made for any increase in traffic.
In a recent KM column, I wrote to Alison Broom and Martin Cox at Maidstone Borough Council to reaffirm my commitment to seeing these improvements. You can read this article here: https://www.helengrant.org/news/maidstones-air-quality . I am also on hand to support any further funding opportunities to see this project come to fruition.
I hope that this reassures you of my continued commitment to supporting cycling and improvements to infrastructure, and thank you once more for taking the time to get in touch about this issue. If you think there is something specific I can do to support your own efforts on this issue please do let me know.
Best wishes
Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald
House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA |
National Highways & Transport Network - Public Satisfaction Surveys
This year, for the second year, Kent County Council is taking part in the NHT Public Satisfaction Survey on highways and transport services. Whilst the main survey is being carried out by Ipsos MORI, who will be sending forms to a representative sample of households, KCC have also opted to take part in six web-based surveys on specific issues:
Highway maintenance
Accessibility
Walking and cycling
Public transport
Road safety
Tackling congestion
These surveys are publicly available online, and may be accessed via the KCC website using this link:
https://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/Nationaltransportsurvey2019_20/consultationHome
Active Travel Challenge: 1 May 2019 – 30 June 2019
This challenge runs for 8 weeks and it’s all about swapping motorised transport for two legs or two wheels. All you have to do is log as much active travel as you can from 1 May. Why? Because active travel is a great way to build in physical activity as part of your daily routine, which can contribute to improved health and help to prevent or manage a range of chronic diseases. Active travel is also good for the environment, helps reduce fuel costs, saves CO2 and reduces congestion.If you walk, run or cycle instead of using motorised transport, largely for functional reasons ie. travelling to work, to the local shops and/or to a leisure activity, it can be logged as active travel. Participants will be entered into a draw for some ‘Active At Work’ prizes and winners will be announced at the end of the challenge. Link: Active Travel Challenge
Big Bike Revival
Few things in life are better than a cycle ride, whether it’s to visit friends, a daily commute or a trip into the countryside. But we know it can be hard to get started. Around 42% of people in the UK own bikes but don’t ever use them.It might be because the bike has a flat tyre and you have no idea how to repair it. Or maybe it’s because you feel you’re lacking the skills or knowledge to ride safely. The Big Bike Revival is all about overcoming those little barriers and to help you feel more confident about cycling.
The programme is entering its fifth year with events across the country providing free cycle checks, servicing, cycle maintenance workshops, cycle training and accompanied rides.
Link: Big Bike Revival
2019 HSBC UK | National Circuit Championships
will be hosted in Rochester, while a dedicated women’s circuit series will also be introduced to the calendar for the first time ever.
The historic Medway town will see both the men’s and women’s national champions crowned on Sunday, July 21, with the full race route to be confirmed in due course.
Why I... cycle to work
North east GP Mark Dornan tells Adrian O’Dowd how cycling to work helps him destress, keep fit, and be a better doctor.
Cycling to work has become an important part of Mark Dornan’s working and personal life, helping his health and wellbeing.
See article in BMJ
Why I... cycle to work
North east GP Mark Dornan tells Adrian O’Dowd how cycling to work helps him destress, keep fit, and be a better doctor.
Cycling to work has become an important part of Mark Dornan’s working and personal life, helping his health and wellbeing.
See article in BMJ
Kent Breeze Rides
Maidstone River Towpath - for Women
Starting from - Meet by the gold gates to County Hall, which is the big stone building opposite Maidstone East railway station. There is free 2 hour parking on residential roads in the nearby area, or you can pay to park at Sandling Road car park (£2.20 for 3 hours).
See full list by downloading list on our Downloads page. Maidstone rides see
Letter to the Editor KM - 11th November 2017
Lets Encourage Cycling in Maidstone Borough
Over the last few weeks we seem to have had a number of negative letters about cyclists. Let’s please remember most of us residents have cycled at one time or another. The Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum, set up in 2014 works to encourage responsible cycling in the Borough. We have worked with both Maidstone Borough and Kent County Councils to prepare a Cycle and Walking Strategy for the Borough (Town and Country), we have provided and continue to provide advice to the Councils on how the Medway Towpath can be improved. The New Loose Greenway and Medway Towpath show how safe off road routes for cyclists and pedestrians can be planned and built. What we need now are other routes to the Town Centre so that people can cycle safely to the Town Centre. Let’s also remember why people cycle along pavements, it is not for choice but safety, until new safe cycle routes such as the two I have referred to above, are more available in Maidstone this is likely to happen. The Forum believes that all cyclists should have lights and bells and that on joint paths with pedestrians cyclists should always use bells or their voices to warn pedestrians of their presence. The New Medway Towpath shows what can be done, and as people who use it will know it has led to a big increase in cycling. It is evident as other towns have shown that if safe infrastructure is put in place people will take to their bikes for commuting and leisure purposes. The Forum will work with the local Councils and others to put in linkages to the Towpath route to build up a number of safe routes away from main roads to benefit both cyclists and other road users by diverting cyclists away from dangerous roads .
Paul Harper Chair Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum and Labour Councillor for Fant
Adult Cycling Courses in Kent
Kent County County offer free cycle training courses to give people the skills and confidence to cycle more often for leisure and work. Click the link below to access their website.
Maidstone Borough Council Elections - 3rd May 2018
Party Leaders were asked for their views in relation to the Walking and Cycling Strategy as published by MBC. The letter asked some specific questions for their response. They were asked to forward the request to their candidates so that they had an opportunity to make a personal response. By the 3rd May we had only received responses from the Labour and Independent group leaders with a holding response from the Liberal leader. The two responses are available on our Files Downloads page.
Earlier
Which party’s general election pledges are best for cyclists The Guardian compares the manifestos,
In an election dominated by Brexit, the climate crisis and the NHS, cycling is not most people’s top priority. However, with transport now accounting for a higher share of overall emissions than any other sector, helping people drive less and cycle more is arguably crucial in tackling climate change.
Improving conditions for cycling could help our congested, polluted towns and cities, tackle the inactivity crisis, reduce the burden on the NHS and make streets and neighbourhoods safer and more pleasant.
The Walking and Cycling Alliance wants £17 per person per year to be spent on active travel, rising to £34 per person by 2025. Spending is currently £7 per person annually.
But some parties are recognising cycling’s potential and coming up with innovative and needed ideas. Others remain stuck in car land. Here is a quick guide to the key policies of the main parties. Read their full article
Travel Choices – Cycling – A Healthy Option - Summit
Report and presentations available on a dedicated page.
Read the response of Helen Grant MP:
From: GRANT, Helen <helen.grant.mp@parliament.uk>
Sent: 30 April 2019 12:16
To: MCCF Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum
Subject: RE: Travel Choices – Cycling – A Healthy Option - Summit - 16th April
Thank you for your recent emails regarding cycling. I did receive your original correspondence, but had not yet had the opportunity to respond to it. I regularly receive a high volume of correspondence each week from constituents and I aim to respond within three to four weeks, although I often have to prioritise the most urgent cases, where people risk losing their housing or income.
I appreciate your commitment to promoting cycling and I feel that for too long, cycling has been seen as a niche activity rather than a normal activity for all. If we can increase levels of walking and cycling, the benefits are substantial. For people, it means cheaper travel and better health. For businesses, it means increased productivity and increased footfall in shops. And for society as a whole it means lower congestion, better air quality, and vibrant, attractive places and communities.
The Government will directly invest £50 million to provide a further 1.3 million children with cycling proficiency training through the Bikeability scheme, £101 million to deliver the Cycle City Ambition scheme in full, £85 million for Highways England to make improvements to 200 sections of the road network in England for cyclists, and £80 million for local cycling and walking schemes through the Access Fund. This is on top of various devolved funding streams which local authorities have and are able to invest in walking and cycling.
Through this funding, the Government aims to deliver increased safety for both cyclists and also walkers across England, better mobility with higher quality cycling facilities and more towns and cities which have cycling and walking at their heart.
Reducing congestion is particularly important in Maidstone, and matters relating to planning and infrastructure are issues I regularly campaign on both at a local and national level. In spite of the adoption of Maidstone’s local plan, I will be continuing my campaign to ensure that any future development is accompanied by the appropriate infrastructure to support it. I will be particularly focused on working with both Maidstone Borough Council, as the planning authority, and Kent County Council, as the highways authority, to ensure that appropriate provision is made for any increase in traffic.
In a recent KM column, I wrote to Alison Broom and Martin Cox at Maidstone Borough Council to reaffirm my commitment to seeing these improvements. You can read this article here: https://www.helengrant.org/news/maidstones-air-quality . I am also on hand to support any further funding opportunities to see this project come to fruition.
I hope that this reassures you of my continued commitment to supporting cycling and improvements to infrastructure, and thank you once more for taking the time to get in touch about this issue. If you think there is something specific I can do to support your own efforts on this issue please do let me know.
Best wishes
Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald
House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA |
National Highways & Transport Network - Public Satisfaction Surveys
This year, for the second year, Kent County Council is taking part in the NHT Public Satisfaction Survey on highways and transport services. Whilst the main survey is being carried out by Ipsos MORI, who will be sending forms to a representative sample of households, KCC have also opted to take part in six web-based surveys on specific issues:
Highway maintenance
Accessibility
Walking and cycling
Public transport
Road safety
Tackling congestion
These surveys are publicly available online, and may be accessed via the KCC website using this link:
https://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/Nationaltransportsurvey2019_20/consultationHome
Active Travel Challenge: 1 May 2019 – 30 June 2019
This challenge runs for 8 weeks and it’s all about swapping motorised transport for two legs or two wheels. All you have to do is log as much active travel as you can from 1 May. Why? Because active travel is a great way to build in physical activity as part of your daily routine, which can contribute to improved health and help to prevent or manage a range of chronic diseases. Active travel is also good for the environment, helps reduce fuel costs, saves CO2 and reduces congestion.If you walk, run or cycle instead of using motorised transport, largely for functional reasons ie. travelling to work, to the local shops and/or to a leisure activity, it can be logged as active travel. Participants will be entered into a draw for some ‘Active At Work’ prizes and winners will be announced at the end of the challenge. Link: Active Travel Challenge
Big Bike Revival
Few things in life are better than a cycle ride, whether it’s to visit friends, a daily commute or a trip into the countryside. But we know it can be hard to get started. Around 42% of people in the UK own bikes but don’t ever use them.It might be because the bike has a flat tyre and you have no idea how to repair it. Or maybe it’s because you feel you’re lacking the skills or knowledge to ride safely. The Big Bike Revival is all about overcoming those little barriers and to help you feel more confident about cycling.
The programme is entering its fifth year with events across the country providing free cycle checks, servicing, cycle maintenance workshops, cycle training and accompanied rides.
Link: Big Bike Revival
2019 HSBC UK | National Circuit Championships
will be hosted in Rochester, while a dedicated women’s circuit series will also be introduced to the calendar for the first time ever.
The historic Medway town will see both the men’s and women’s national champions crowned on Sunday, July 21, with the full race route to be confirmed in due course.
Why I... cycle to work
North east GP Mark Dornan tells Adrian O’Dowd how cycling to work helps him destress, keep fit, and be a better doctor.
Cycling to work has become an important part of Mark Dornan’s working and personal life, helping his health and wellbeing.
See article in BMJ
Why I... cycle to work
North east GP Mark Dornan tells Adrian O’Dowd how cycling to work helps him destress, keep fit, and be a better doctor.
Cycling to work has become an important part of Mark Dornan’s working and personal life, helping his health and wellbeing.
See article in BMJ
Kent Breeze Rides
Maidstone River Towpath - for Women
Starting from - Meet by the gold gates to County Hall, which is the big stone building opposite Maidstone East railway station. There is free 2 hour parking on residential roads in the nearby area, or you can pay to park at Sandling Road car park (£2.20 for 3 hours).
See full list by downloading list on our Downloads page. Maidstone rides see
Letter to the Editor KM - 11th November 2017
Lets Encourage Cycling in Maidstone Borough
Over the last few weeks we seem to have had a number of negative letters about cyclists. Let’s please remember most of us residents have cycled at one time or another. The Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum, set up in 2014 works to encourage responsible cycling in the Borough. We have worked with both Maidstone Borough and Kent County Councils to prepare a Cycle and Walking Strategy for the Borough (Town and Country), we have provided and continue to provide advice to the Councils on how the Medway Towpath can be improved. The New Loose Greenway and Medway Towpath show how safe off road routes for cyclists and pedestrians can be planned and built. What we need now are other routes to the Town Centre so that people can cycle safely to the Town Centre. Let’s also remember why people cycle along pavements, it is not for choice but safety, until new safe cycle routes such as the two I have referred to above, are more available in Maidstone this is likely to happen. The Forum believes that all cyclists should have lights and bells and that on joint paths with pedestrians cyclists should always use bells or their voices to warn pedestrians of their presence. The New Medway Towpath shows what can be done, and as people who use it will know it has led to a big increase in cycling. It is evident as other towns have shown that if safe infrastructure is put in place people will take to their bikes for commuting and leisure purposes. The Forum will work with the local Councils and others to put in linkages to the Towpath route to build up a number of safe routes away from main roads to benefit both cyclists and other road users by diverting cyclists away from dangerous roads .
Paul Harper Chair Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum and Labour Councillor for Fant
Adult Cycling Courses in Kent
Kent County County offer free cycle training courses to give people the skills and confidence to cycle more often for leisure and work. Click the link below to access their website.
Maidstone Borough Council Elections - 3rd May 2018
Party Leaders were asked for their views in relation to the Walking and Cycling Strategy as published by MBC. The letter asked some specific questions for their response. They were asked to forward the request to their candidates so that they had an opportunity to make a personal response. By the 3rd May we had only received responses from the Labour and Independent group leaders with a holding response from the Liberal leader. The two responses are available on our Files Downloads page.