The Stress of Losing Manston Airport

 

 

Transport Chaos as Government Leave it to Economic Forces 

 

 

 

I was probably one of the very few people that stayed up to watch the Roger and Laura show on late night Parliament a few weeks ago. Sad I know.

 

The debate followed HS2 debate and after all the MPs had left the chamber with only the transport minister left to hear and reply it was left to Roger to speak. Sir Roger laid out his case for Manston with clarity and dignity supported by Laura.

 

The minister played lip service and dismissed Manston quoting that it was down to the forces of the market.

 

This means that our transport policy is now in the hands of big business even though it is against the public interest.

 

Having just been on holiday and flying from and back into Gatwick I am reminded how our transport system including airports has descended into chaos.

 

A flight of a few hours to a sunny destination is now a thing of the past. A flight at 6.45am now means leaving home at 2.30 am. On traveling up the M2 you find signs saying that the M25 is shut from junction 3 to 31. Panic what route now? Stress starting to mount now. Wonderful technology flawed by human error (think it should have read 30 to 31). Arrive at parking at 4 am transfer to airport by 5 am. Queue for check in. Then on to security to undress and display all my worldly goods.

Had to throw away my bottle of water in case I blew up the plane with it. Finally get through to departure lounge to join hoards of people. So decide to have overpriced breakfast in order to have somewhere to sit.

Next proceed to gate. After a walk of about a mile made it to the gate to join fellow travellers and finally board plane. Stress now subsiding and ready to enjoy my holiday.

 

Return to Gatwick pleasant flight landed 12.50 pm. Leave plane walk mile back to passport control. Join 500 yard queue to passport hall. Stress mounting again. Finally arrive at hall and nice man says electronic passports this way others that way. Join extensive queue for electronic passports believing fast track from those without the luxury of new passports. How wrong could I be as I watched masses of people being processed much faster than the high tech queue. Finally get to the new kit. Chaos again as no one knows what to do. After instruction by attending staff it still means that so many travellers cock up the procedure.

Finally get through thinking that all the baggage would have been on the baggage claim conveyor and only ours would be left just going round and round. Oh no hundreds of people gazing at the baggage claim screen saying WAIT. To add insult to injury there were posters advertising the virtues of another runway at Gatwick. I wished I had a felt tipped pen.

Wait we did with increasing numbers of other passengers. Message comes in sorry your bags are still on the plane and will be unloaded soon.

We wait staring at the screen. Nothing happens. Eventually another announcement saying they are on their way. Another 10 minutes pass and screen announces number and a mass of people descend to baggage hall. Stress now high but the end is in sight. Fight to retrieve cases before they disappear. And off we go to customs who do not stop anyone for fear of anger or assault by passengers. Another long walk to pick up bus to car park now with queues because of delayed passengers. Crammed and hot journey back to pick up car. Man on coach said wait was nothing compared to last night with 4 hours delay on baggage.

Nearly there now just got to drive home. Oh accident on M25 and more queues. Eventually home by 5 pm. Wonder why I bothered to go on holiday.

 

Sir Roger's point that using Manston, Londoners could get from London to Manston and have their bums on a plane seat in an hour and a half seems to me a very strong argument for carriers to base their business at Manston. With Dover a cruise terminal and a high speed link there is so much potential.

 

My experience tells me that Gatwick does not deserve an extra runway as it continues to operate in and cause chaos now. Another runway there in my opinion is a road to hell.

 

Thanet has been a high unemployment black spot for as long as I can be remember and deserves better than continuing to be dragged down and down by bunches of asset strippers. Building houses on the airport site is just adding insult to injury.

 

 

 

Westgate and Westbrook Residents' Association Minutes April 2014

WESTGATE AND WESTBROOK

RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

 

MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE TOWN HALL BUILDING ON MONDAY 14^TH  APRIL 2014 AT 7.15PM.

 

 

PRESENT

Tom King, chairman and councillor, twenty seven members, and KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor.

 

The chairman welcomed all attending.

 

APOLOGIES

Apologies had been received from Abigail Carden, Sam Secomb, Chris Smith, Tony and Pat Snow, Tony and Sylvia Sykes, and John and Mavis Vaughan

 

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

1)      Village Green Enquiry Report.  Tom introduced Graham Rickett who explained that this piece of land has been used a great deal by local residents since the war.  It now belongs to King Ethelbert School but they have not made use of it.  Seventy one local residents had given account of various uses of this land, there had been a hearing in 2012 and as a result the KCC scheduled a public enquiry for November 2013 with an independent inspector. Students from Kent Law Clinic had helped, and were up against a barrister, but the resultant judgement was that the area should be a village green, (or town green as Westgate is a town).  KCC still have to register this as a green but this is usually a formality.  Publicity is to be used as the school are against it, and plans for the area and looking after it need to be drawn up.  Don Eacott thought it would be a good idea to have some plans in place before the KCC summer meeting.  The final presentation event will need support.    

2)      Community Governance Review by TDC.  Tom spoke of concern that very few residents were aware that this was taking place, the meeting at TDC Offices was poorly attended.  There is a possibility of Westgate having a parish council and there were fors and againsts for this. Tom thought that a public meeting should be held.  James Brazier also attended the meeting and was one of only nine members of the public there.  There is a questionnaire on line or in printed form available from the Gateway, and those completed should be returned by 2^nd June.  It would not be an easy choice as various permutations could result, TDC hopes to come up with the wishes of the public.  A rise in council tax could result.  Tom felt that the whole subject required a higher profile so that residents could understand the options and make their wishes known.  After further discussion a proposal by Don Eacott seconded by Richard Charlton that a meeting be held to explain and discuss parish councils was carried unanimously.

 

 

 

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

The minutes of the last meeting, (10^th March 2014), which had been circulated, were adopted on a prop by Don Eacott sec by Sandra Heald, and signed.

 

MATTERS ARISING

There were no matters arising.

 

COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS

KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor:

1)      KCC Community Grant.  This had been cut by half by KCC, however the £400 towards a portable PA system has already been made available, and the chairman thanked Jeff for his help in obtaining this grant.

2)      Highways/Zebra Crossings.  Various issues had arisen in recent years, a request for a crossing in Westgate Bay Avenue had been refused some time ago, and Tom reported that residents in Palm Court had asked if a crossing  could  be considered for Sea Road. Jeff agreed to contact Pat Bailey, a W&WRA member and resident of Palm Court.

 

CORRESPONDENCE

1)      Correction to local press report re new buildings consideration.  Richard Charlton reported that a correction had been made to the earlier report and that the correct number of suggested building units was twelve hundred, some of which could be in the Garlinge area.

2)      MS Society Letter.  Tom reported that a letter of thanks had been sent for the £17.28 received from the collection box in the Bake House.

3)      Road Crossings.  A letter had been received from Optima Care, who run a mental care home, requesting consideration of a zebra crossing over Westgate Bay Avenue nearer to the Sea Road junction.  Jeff  has a copy of the letter and will follow this up and ask KCC Highways to look at it  again.

 

PLANNING

1)      45 – 51 Sea Road.  Work had been stalled and complaints made by residents.  Tom had spoken to the developer, Mr Richardson, who claimed to have been misled by TDC, but now the architect and TDC have met and a new application will be submitted, and the drawings available for W&WRA members to see.

2)      New Benches.  The bench by the Bridge Hotel has been moved down and is now adjacent to the church grounds.

3)      30 – 35 St Mildred’s Road.  Retrospective application for erection of display of signs.

4)      69 Sea Road.  Application for change of use from care home to eight flats and insertion of UPVC windows.

5)      149 Sea Road.  Application for a two storey detached dwelling.

 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Sam Secomb had sent a brief report with her apologies for absence.  The balance sheets/statements had now been received and work is in progress to produce the annual accounts for the AGM.  Any questions from members would be welcome by telephone.

 

EDITOR’S REPORT

Derek requested articles and copy for the next issue by the first week in June.

 

SUNSHINE REPORT

No report

 

MEMBERSHIP

No report.

 

CIVIC

1)       The Civic Society Town Pride Awards are to be held on Thursday 8^th May at the Walpole Bay Hotel, and include two properties in Westgate and one in the Royal Esplanade, Westbrook.

2)      Westgate Heritage Centre.  A talk “Westgate in the Summer of 1914” will take place on Saturday 3^rd May at 10.30am at St Saviour’s Church.

 

SOCIAL

1)      St George’s Day Party.  To be held at the Bake House on Wednesday 23^rd April at 7.00pm. Numbers are limited for safety reasons, those wishing to come should add their names to the list in the Bake House.

2)      Quiz.  The next quiz will be held in May, details to follow.

3)      Outing to East Northdown Farm.  It is hoped to arrange this for the coming season.

 

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

1)      Westgate Sign.  Darren Ellis said he has some graffiti remover and kindly offered to clean the sign.

2)      Holm Oak Trees.  On enquiry it had been established that permission had been obtained for a severe pruning of these trees.  They should however grow  well again.

3)      1950 Shelter by Palm Court.  This had not as yet been replaced.

4)      Graffiti etc in the Area.  The pavilion near the allotments and the phone boxes by the station had all suffered.  Tom agreed to speak to one of the community teams.

5)      Dog Mess.  Posters from TDC are still to come.

6)      Litter Bins for Victoria Avenue and Green.  A member pointed out the lack of bins in the area, and Tom agreed to ask about this.

 

NEXT MEETING

 Monday 12^th May, at the Town Hall Buildings, which will be the AGM and short general meeting.

 

There being no other business the meeting concluded at 9.00pm.

 

Where will the Children Play?

A year or so ago councillor Simon Moores asked what residents would like to see on the old putting green site adjacent to the St Mildred's Bay car park. He very kindly arranged for the removal of the fencing on one side to allow access to the public. The site has been maintained as a green but apart from use by dog walkers nothing else has happened.

There is a problem in Westgate as there is a lack of play areas for children and toddlers. I understand that the national standard is 0.7 hectares per 1000 population. So it would appear that this part of Westgate and Westbrook is woefully inadequate in terms of play provision. The nearest is on the Lymington Road estate which is at a considerable distance away certainly beyond the walking distance of a toddler or young child.

Therefore the suggestion is that some play provision should be provided on this site. Oh I hear cries of health and safety and ROSP approval as well as funding. When so many experts are employed by our council surely these hurdles could be overcome. Surely a play area has to be better than a doggy toilet.

My vision is that it should have a nautical theme with maybe a play boat, a few swings and some picnic benches. This would not be expensive compared to other schemes like bulldozing skate parks.

A provision like this would bring more revenue to the car park and surrounding cafes and a very worthwhile amenity to an area that generally does not demand much from its local council. And best of all the children would have somewhere to play all the year round.

What do you think?