The Romney Marsh Times

TRANSPORT:

Steam train saves snow stranded commuters

Around 100 commuters who had been left stranded as trains failed and congestion forced stations to close on Monday - 21st December - were rescued in style by a steam locomotive. Able to withstand the snow and ice that brought much of Southern England to a standstill, the No. 60163 Tornado hauling ‘The Cathedrals Express’ from London Victoria to Dover and back picked up and dropped off passengers while on a day trip to Kent.

The new £3m Peppercorn class A1 pacific steam locomotive which has been built over almost 20 years by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust was in Kent for the day for special "Christmas meal" trips.

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said: "Monday’s Cathedrals Expresses were Tornado’s last main line trains of her first year of operations. Not only are we delighted that she was able to brave the arctic weather to haul two of the few trains to run in Kent on Monday but we were pleased to be able to help some of London’s stranded commuters to get home in style."

The Tornado headed back to the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York on Tuesday for scheduled winter maintenance.

Also on Romney Marsh Times:
> Travel Update - 20th Dec. 2009
> Steaming Across The Marsh for Christmas - 27th Nov. 2009
> Tornado steam engine to stop at Folkestone - 14th June 2009

Photo: Craig Stretton, A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

BLOGS: TRANSPORT:

How can we solve the Stack-attack

Blog post by Damian Collins, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Folkestone and Hythe

The first real cold snap of the winter has brought with it the sadly typical traffic chaos. The major disruptions were caused by the closure of the Channel Tunnel and made worse by the cold and icy driving conditions. Operation Stack was enforced, and lorries were parked on the M20 and along the A20. Eurostar passengers suffered the misery of sitting for hours on trains that had either failed or were held up. This is bad at any time but before Christmas when people are travelling to be with friends and family, this is even worse.

Personally, from what I saw driving around the area at the weekend, I thought the Kent Highways Agency and Police did a good job in gritting the roads and trying to keep the traffic moving, but these were obviously difficult circumstances.

The big question is how we can mitigate against the conditions that lead to the gridlock of our roads when the Channel Tunnel or Port of Dover are closed, due to bad weather in the winter months, or strike action.

There has been much discussion about where we can put the lorries instead of stacking them on the motorway, junctions, roundabouts, lay-bys, country lanes, or anywhere else for that matter. The County Council has favoured the construction of new lorry parks, including a site off of the M20 near Sellindge and Aldington. I do not have a problem with lorry parks in themselves, the big questions though are who pays for them and where they go. The Channel Tunnel and the road infrastructure around it is a major piece of national and international infrastructure, so there should be an, at least, national plan to support them. This means that the Government should be prepared to support the building of new lorry parks, also that they should not necessarily be sited next to the Tunnel or Port of Dover.

More could be done to give lorries the option of leaving the motorway earlier to park up before they get caught up in the congestion of Operation Stack. We could have a network of lorry parks starting nearer to London rather than concentrating them in south east Kent. My concern about the Sellindge lorry park plan is that this becomes part of a creeping industrialisation along the M20 corridor from Ashford which would be totally out of keeping with the area, and make further development of this kind more likely.

I also believe that foreign road hauliers should be made to make some contribution to the maintenance of the road network and support services that they use here. UK hauliers will pay through UK taxes and fuel duty when they fill up their tanks here. Many of the international hauliers will fill up in Luxembourg where fuel tax is very low, and be able to complete their tour of the UK without needing to take on any more fuel. There are a number of schemes being considered, including making all hauliers sign up to a road disc scheme, the cost of which could only be reclaimed if they paid tax on fuel bought in the UK. I believe, despite the objections of some and the intransigence of the Government, that this is a problem that can be solved.

We also need to look at investment in our road infrastructure in Kent as a whole. The demand for road traffic, particularly from lorries is only likely to grow, and already we can see that the current set up is so fragile that as soon as something goes wrong, the whole system can collapse. The Government should have developed plans to complete the A2 dual carriageway to Dover and also consider plans for an additional crossing across the Thames Estuary. We should equally be looking at how the Channel Tunnel can be used to bring more freight by rail into the UK. The Tunnel is currently only operating at 25% of its potential capacity, so there would presumably be scope for more rail freight that could keep more lorries off of Kent roads.

Overall, if we want to see the delays of this weekend become an exception rather than a frequent winter event, we need to plan for a substantial long term solution. Without this, the odd lorry park here or there will be little more than an expensive piece of sticking plaster. We will also require bold and imaginative polices to plan for this at a time when the pressures on Government spending have never been greater. This investment is something that the Government should have planned in the good times, knowing how important it would be to our future prosperity. They failed to do this, and we are all paying the price for it.

Finally I thought it was interesting to note that the Government has recently announced that it is considering selling off assets like the high speed rail link, its shares in the Channel Tunnel, and the Port of Dover. There is no promise that any of this money will be ring fenced to invest in the local transport infrastructure. So in the Government’s mind when these pieces of infrastructure are working well they are considered national assets, belonging to the whole country, but when they create problems for the local communities who live alongside them, the Government considers it to be a local problem.


Other recent blog posts by Damian on Romney Marsh Times:
> The law of the jungle
> Time to get creative about growth


Damian Collins, is the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Folkestone and Hythe. He can be reached at www.damiancollins.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are not necessarily the opinions of The Romney Marsh Times or its owners and we assume no responsibility for such content.

Other blog sites are welcome to republish this post on the basis that a link is included back to this website (http://www.romneymarshtimes.com).

TRANSPORT:

Car overturns in Sandgate High Street

Two people were injured in Sandgate, Kent, on Sunday when a car collided with two others and then overturned. The incident in Sandgate High Street, just before 5pm, resulted in one man being crushed between two vehicles and the driver of a car treated for whiplash injuries.

In the collision, a car collided with two parked cars and then overturned. A man working on one of the parked vehicles was crushed between his car and the car colliding with it. A police spokesperson told Romney Marsh Times that he was treated by Ambulance staff for minor leg injuries.

The road was blocked until 6.46pm when it was reopened by police.

Weekly planning applications for Romney Marsh - 19th December

Weekly round up for planning applications submitted for Romney Marsh, including New Romney, Lydd, Dungeness and Dymchurch for the week ending 19th December 2009.

New Romney
Address		Gun House, Cannon Street
Work		Felling of a sycamore tree followed by a replanting of an oak tree and works to five further trees all situated within a conservation area.
Application		Y09/1024/SH
Address		St. Johns, St. Johns Road
Work		Erection of a single storey rear extension (resubmission of planning application y09/0897/sh).
Application		Y09/1167/SH
Address		The Marsh Academy, Station Road
Work		Consultation in respect of construction of a new enclosed access staircase to the north east corner of the leisure centre.
Application		Y09/1171/SH

St Mary's Bay
Address		1 Dunstall Lane
Work		Increase in height of roof including provision of front dormer windows to provide additional living accommodation and erection of a front porch.
Application		Y09/1122/SH
Address		1 Elm Road
Work		Retention of a summerhouse.
Application		Y09/1119/SH

Note: The information provided here is given as a guide only. For full details of these and other local planning applications please refer to Shepway District Council Planning department. Romney Marsh Times accepts no responsibility for the up-to-dateness, accuracy, completeness or quality of this information.

TRANSPORT:

M20 and SE Kent Roads Update - 20th December

The Port of Dover and Eurotunnel freight services have resumed normal operation today but Operation Stack on the M20 in Kent is still in place, Eurostar services are not running, the A2 and A20 into Dover remain very busy and police are continuing to advise motorists not to travel unless absolutely necessary so that backlog that built up yesterday can be cleared.

On Saturday - 19th December, long delays to drivers using the M20 were caused following the closure of the channel tunnel and severe weather preventing ferries from disembarking at Calais resulting in travel chaos around Folkestone and Dover.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Adams comments: "There was some snow on the M20 and we worked with Highways to grit the road so that we could continue with the progress already made to clear the backlog of vehicles.

"We expect further delays to motorists today (20th December) using the M20 and would therefore reiterate the need to travel only if necessary. Anyone driving should take warm clothing and food."

Also on Romney Marsh Times:
> M20 Operation Stack traffic update 19th December
> Transport chaos follows snow and tunnel breakdown

TRANSPORT:

Lorries being turned around, operation stack running and motorists given hot drinks and snacks as temperatures fall

Freight traffic is being turned around to join Operation Stack in a bid to ease the congestion on the M20 in Kent with hot drinks, snacks and blankets being given to stranded motorists, as night and temperatures fall. This follows the chaos earlier today when 2000 passengers were stranded on broken down Eurostar services.

This latest news comes after Calais announced it was to no longer accept freight traffic from 4pm today and as Eurostar announced that it had cancelled three of the four trains from St Pancras it had laid on this evening to get stranded passengers home.

Police say continued delays are expected for the tailbacks on the motorway and the major routes around the port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel at Cheriton near Folkestone following the earlier closure of the channel tunnel and severe weather preventing ferries from disembarking at Calais.

Chief Superintendent Matthew Nix, coordinating the multi-agency response from Kent Police said: "The welfare of motorists, some of who have remained in their cars for many hours, is our primary concern. With the onset of nightfall we expect temperatures to fall once again and therefore we will be turning freight traffic around in order to ease congestion and allow the backlog of tourist traffic to pass through. This was necessitated by the closure of Calais to freight traffic".

"I would like to reiterate unless your journey is vital, to stay away from major routes around Dover and Folkestone and to consider if their journey is really necessary," said the Chief Superintendent.

Also on Romney Marsh Times: M20 Kent chaos follows snow and tunnel breakdown

Picture (c) Nick Mooney, @nickelf on Twitter.

TRANSPORT:

Transport chaos follows snow and tunnel breakdown

Drivers in Folkestone and Dover faced travel chaos on the busiest shopping day of the year today, as bad weather and broken down trains combined forcing thousands of motorists and lorries onto side roads across SE Kent. Operation Stack Phase 2, where the M20 motorway is closed and used as a temporary lorry park, was implemented when lorries backlogged at the Port of Dover after bad weather in Clais prevented ferries disembarking and trains broke down in the Channel Tunnel stranding thousands of travellers.

Two thousand Eurostar passengers spent up to 16 hours stuck in their trains - many without food or water - after trains suffered electrical failures in the Tunnel. Other passengers were stranded in trains at sidings at Folkestone. Severe weather at Clais which prevented ferries leaving and dangerous road conditions in Kent combined to cause congestion at the Channel Tunnel entrance at Folkestone and at the Port of Dover which then spread to nearby areas and onto M20 as traffic built up.

"Many people have spent a long time in their cars and other vehicles on the motorway and the major routes around the port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel at Cheriton near Folkestone," said Chief Superintendent Matthew Nix from Kent Police.

Chief Inspector Nicola Faulconbridge from Kent Police said: "We would urge drivers to avoid the M20 in the Folkestone and Dover areas. Unless your journey is absolutely vital do not travel."

SE Kent and Shepway escaped the worst of the travel problems that beset much of Kent yesterday after the heavy snow that blanketted the rest of the county bypassed Folkestone and Romney Marsh but heavy snow is forecast for the region tonight and tomorrow.

BBC News: Thousands freed from Channel Tunnel after trains fail
BBC News: Channel Tunnel closure causes delays on M20
Times Online: Second wave of snow to intensify travel chaos

Take it, share it, show it: your pictures of Romney Marsh

Share, show off and comment on your pictures of Romney Marsh and Dungeness. We've noticed that there wasn't a well known home for fans of Romney Marsh to share and talk about their photographs of this unique corner of England, so, without further ado, Romney Marsh Times has created Romney Marsh - Your Pictures.

You don't need to be a skilled photographer or have an expensive camera to join in. To post your pictures for others to enjoy, comment on, or just to see if your favourite spot on the Marsh has been snapped just go to Romney Marsh Your Pictures, become a member of the group and join in.

We'll also show the best pictures on Romney Marsh Times and our Facebook page.

You can also subscribe to the pictures in an RSS reader, just point your reader at http://feeds.romneymarshtimes.com/Romney-Marsh-Your-Pictures.

If you have any questions, drop us an email at pictures@romneymarshtimes.com

TRANSPORT:

Crash delays traffic on A259

Traffic heading to New Romney from Dymchurch on the A259 in Kent is delayed this morning - Tuesday 15th December - following a crash. The road is open but delays are occurring while Police deal with the incident.

The crash occurred on the A259 travelling to New Romney. Police have closed off one side of the road while a car is recovered.

Recent incidents on the A259 reported by Romney Marsh Times:
> Crash closes A259 at Dymchurch - 11th Dec
> Man and children in hospital after A259 crash at Brookland - 9th Dec
> 72-year-old man dies in crash on A259 - 10th November
> Teenager hurt in crash in New Romney - 6th Nov