Kent Community Messaging - North kent - Burglary detectives warn of 'absence checks' techn

Dear GMRA Members, readers and all those living and working in Greenhithe Village, Ingress Park, Waterstone Park & Stone. Please take note of the following announcement:

Burglary detectives warn of 'absence checks' technique

*    Burglary detectives are asking homeowners to be on their guard against a technique that burglars have been known to use to identify vulnerable properties.
*    In other parts of the country, reports have been received of stickers being placed on doors or letterboxes of houses advertising a locksmith service. The sticker has a telephone number on it, but the number is not a registered number. If the stickers are not removed, burglars presume that the house is empty or that the owners are away.
Placing the stickers also gives burglars the opportunity to 'scout out' the house, and look through windows but to be able to explain themselves as 'delivering advertising' if anyone were to stop them and ask questions.
*    Police officers recently cracked a similar case in Sevenoaks where the offender was leaving mud on doors to see if it was cleaned away. If it wasn't, the property was potentially empty and a good target. The offender was caught and sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.
*    Police are now asking that homeowners keep an eye out for - and to report - any suspicious activity to ensure that burglars are thwarted before they get a chance to strike. The advice comes as officers continue their crackdown on burglary as part of Operation Castle, which is a force wide initiative designed target burglary suspects in the winter months.
*    Detective Chief Inspector Neil Parker from Kent Police said: 'At Christmas time people tend to have some high value and new items in the house that are appealing to burglars. That is why we are asking members of the public to keep an eye out for unusual signs that might suggest the house has been 'marked' as a possible target and to report this or anything suspicious to us. It is well worth homeowners investing in items such as timer switches for lights, and alarms for sheds, and if they would like further advice around these they can visit our local Police Contact Points.'

The hybrid Bill gives government the powers to construct and operate a high speed railway between London and Birmingham.

HS2 will take a major step forward today (25 November 2013) with publication of the Bill for phase one of the country’s new railway between London and Birmingham.

The hybrid Bill, effectively the planning application for the scheme, will give the government the powers to construct and operate the railway. It will also give those affected by the proposed line the opportunity to petition Parliament, both for and against the proposals, and have their case heard by a committee of MPs.

The government believes that the new line – the first to be built north of London for 120 years – is vital to meet the urgent rail capacity needs on the main rail routes into London. Parts of the West Coast Main Line are full in terms of the number of trains they can carry, many of which are full to overflowing. There are similar issues facing the East Coast and Midland Mainline. 

HS2 will spread prosperity throughout the country, connecting 8 out of 10 of the country’s major cities and particularly benefitting the midlands and the north. A recent study by KPMG estimated that when fully operational HS2 will generate around £15 billion of economic benefits annually.

The publication of legislation for Phase One marks a significant milestone in the project. Once Royal Assent has been achieved, it is expected that construction of the line from London to Birmingham will begin in 2016 to 2017 allowing the line to open in 2026.

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said:

HS2 is the most ambitious and important infrastructure project in the UK since we built the M25 30 years ago, and in 30 more it will be just as integral a part of the nation’s prosperity.
The Bill will give us the powers we need to get the railway built and start delivering the extra room on our railways that this country so desperately needs. It will also start the process of rebalancing the economy and bringing our great cities closer together.

That is why the Bill is so important – it marks the move from aspiration to delivery. Now is the time to be bold and ensure HS2 becomes a reality.

The government will also publish today (25 November 2013) the environmental statement for Phase One of the scheme. The document sets out in detail the likely significant environmental effects of the scheme.

It will allow those on or near the line of route to see exactly how they will be affected and give details of the ways in which the railway has been designed to reduce as far as practicable impacts on the landscape.

These include that:

• around 23% of the line between London and the West Midlands will be in tunnels and around 32% lowered into the ground with cuttings
• landscaped earthworks and the planting of at least 2 million trees will further help to screen the railway, reduce the impacts of train noise and integrate the line into the landscape
• much of the earth removed during the construction will be used to create these earthworks, greatly reducing the amount of earth that would have to be otherwise transported, cutting lorry journeys and associated congestion, disruption and pollution
• drawing on Japanese technology, HS2 trains will be fitted with special features to help reduce noise: considerations include the use of wheel farings to cut the noise made by the wheels on rails – the biggest source of noise on any electrified railway; and eliminating the gaps between each train carriage to cut noise and boost aerodynamic efficiency

The publication of the hybrid Bill has been widely welcomed as a significant milestone towards delivering HS2.

Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) John Longworth said:

We have consistently said that investing in HS2 is the best way to deliver increased capacity to our overstretched railways. And it’s not just existing capacity that’s a problem. If we want the economy to grow and businesses to prosper, we are going to need more capacity in the future. The problem is not going to go away and we are at risk of stifling future growth.

HS2 simply must be built if we are to avoid crippling delays, stifling carriage conditions and weekend chaos that conventional upgrades will bring. Major infrastructure projects have always been controversial in the past. The M25, Crossrail, and the Channel Tunnel were not universally called for, yet look at the economic benefits they have delivered over the years. A new high-speed rail network, as part of a wider infrastructure investment strategy, will release capacity on our roads, and enable firms to move both staff and goods with ease.

Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese said:

HS2 is a once in a century opportunity for Manchester, and it’s one we should grasp tightly. The deposit of the hybrid Bill into Parliament is a major milestone in making the new north-south high speed line a reality.

Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership chairman Roger Marsh said:

The laying of the hybrid Bill today (25 November 2013) is an extremely important move forward for HS2. The new north-south high speed line will give a serious boost to the Leeds City Region economy through the transformational reduction in journey times not just to London but between the cities of the Midlands and North and by greatly increasing the capacity of the railways.

Derby City Council leader Councillor Paul Bayliss said:

Today’s (25 November 2013) laying into Parliament of the hybrid Bill to build HS2 is a very significant step forward in the development of Britain’s new north-south high speed railway. As the country’s leading city for advanced transport engineering, we welcome the economic opportunities that HS2 should bring, particularly if the East Midlands Station is in the right location.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

With rail passenger numbers along the west coast route set to rise sharply in the next few decades, HS2 is vital for delivering the extra capacity that passengers will need.

But HS2 isn’t just about helping passengers, it can boost growth and help rebalance the economy too. HS2 will provide new business opportunities at stops along its route, while local employment and apprenticeship clauses could help HS2 to create many thousands of high quality jobs across the country. This is an opportunity we can ill afford to miss out on.

The Department for Transport is also today (25 November 2013) publishing several other documents which have interdependencies with the Bill.

These are:

• a command paper setting out outcomes of the Phase One design refinement consultation for 12 design refinements
• a command paper on impacts on social rented housing
• a command paper on properties above tunnels

Christmas Lights Switch On Stone Parish Friday 29th November 3:30 - 6;30pm

Stone Parish Christmas Lights Switch On

Designers have unveiled plans for this pedestrian walkway which could provide multiple pathways across Meixi Lake in Changsha, China

The Knot Bridge

A bridge to leave you tongue-tied: Architects to build 150m 'knot-inspired' walkway which pedestrians can cross at different heights

Designers have unveiled plans for this pedestrian walkway which could provide multiple pathways across Meixi Lake in Changsha, China

It's a knot-inspired bridge design which may well leave you tongue-tied.

Designers have unveiled plans for this pedestrian walkway which could provide multiple pathways across Meixi Lake in Changsha, China.

The unique design would have a 'diversity of routings', allowing pedestrians to cross the 150m-long bridge at different heights.

The bridge, which will be 24 metres high, has a knot design which refers to a Chinese knot from ancient decorative Chinese folk art.

It is also based on a Mobius strip, a famous mathematical surface which only has 'one side'.

The eye-catching bridge will be a key project in the Dragon King Harbur River development, and building will start next year.

It was the brainchild of Dutch architects NEXT, who won an international competition to design the structure.

Add caption

"Boris Island" moves a step closer as Thames estuary airport plans are clarified

Thames estuary airport plans clarified

‘Britannia Airport’ The new destination for international travel.

Further details of how a Thames estuary airport would operate have been unveiled by the consortium behind London Britannia Airport, the proposed six-runway project formerly dubbed the ‘Boris Island’ scheme.

Thames Estuary Research and Development (Testrad), the consortium behind the proposals, now claims the new facility could be built within seven years at a cost of £47bn.

The consortium has suggested part of the capital cost of the new airport could be defrayed by the development value generated by closing Heathrow and developing that part of west London as a new borough (the London Borough of Heathrow) offering a technopolis centre for regional high technology enterprise, new homes and parkland for 300,000 people and direct and indirect employment for over 200,000.

The consortium said the runway configuration would allow three or four aircraft to operate at the same time, 24-hours-a-day in all weather conditions.

Logistics operations would be at Sheerness and the A249 would be upgraded to provide a new M2 connection.

Passenger check-in and arrival terminals would be at Ebbsfleet, next to the high-speed rail link, and at St Pancras International in central London.

Testrad said check-in terminals would be linked to the airport by high-speed rail tunnels and the estuary airport would be "car free with no private car access".

The consortium has stressed the island airport would help rebalance London’s development map and boost regeneration on the eastern flank of the capital.

The Government-appointed but independent Davies airport commission is currently reviewing potential sites for more airport capacity in the South East, including additional runways at Gatwick and Heathrow and is due to report its interim findings next month.

Find out more about the Testrad plans (PDF).


Roger Milne
14 November 2013

Two minute Armistice Day silence brings Bluewater to a standstill

Chresti Dack, 84, pays her respects.

By Tim MacFarlan, Bexley and north Kent reporter
 

BLUEWATER was brought to a standstill as hundreds of shoppers observed a two minutes silence for Armistice Day today. 

Just before 11am on Monday The Last Post rang out from the bugle of former paratrooper Bob Cole and Dartford MP Gareth Johnson read from Robert Laurence Binyon’s famous poem For The Fallen. 

Left to right: Fusilier Baggett, Alan Nimmo, Elliot Tapping, MP Gareth Johnson and Paul Jacobs.

A crowd of around 500 shoppers gathered to watch as the standard of the Greenhithe and Swanscombe branch of the Royal British Legion was lowered by bearer Elliot Tapping. 

Standard bearer Elliot Tapping.

At 11am onlookers bowed their heads to honour British soldiers killed in war on the 95th anniversary of the end of the First World War which began 100 years ago next year. 

Remembering the fallen

                                            

Greenhithe and Swanscombe RBL committee member Graham Mentor-Morris said: "It all went incredibly well indeed. 

"The constant throb of Bluewater just suddenly stopped and it was quite strange. The vast majority of shoppers were very supportive. 

Bob Cole plays the last post.

"Having a live bugle call made all the difference." 

The poppy appeal at Bluewater has raised around £10,000 for the RBL.

The government's strategic case for HS2

HS2 needed by Britain to meet future transport needs.

High Speed 2 (HS2)

Britain cannot meet its future transport needs without HS2, according to new evidence published by the government today (29 October 2013). 

Even with over £50 billion of planned transport investment over the next 6 years the country’s railways will be overwhelmed. The strategic case for HS2 sets out in detail the need for a new railway line to provide the vitally needed extra capacity.

Central to the case is new data that reveals the true extent of the crisis facing the UK rail network and the impact alternatives to building HS2 would have. 

The document outlines how demand for rail travel will continue to grow. By 2026 on commuter services into London during the evening peak, 40% of passengers will be standing. While research by Network Rail and Atkins shows that the alternative to HS2 would result in up to 14 years of weekend closures on existing lines and deliver only a fraction of the additional capacity.

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said:

"We need a radical solution and HS2 is it. A patch and mend job will not do – the only option is a new north south railway. HS2 brings massive benefits to the north, is great for commuters and the alternatives just don’t stack up. Now is the time to be bold and deliver a world class railway which Britain deserves and can truly be proud of. Future generations will not forgive us if we fail to take this opportunity."

The East Coast, West Coast and Midland Main Lines can only carry a finite number of trains each day before they become clogged. HS2 will add 18 trains an hour between Manchester, Leeds and London and will allow significantly more freight onto the wider rail network.

The new railway is also estimated to deliver an annual boost to the economy of up to £15 billion as a result of productivity benefits to business from faster journeys and reduced crowding. There will also be benefits of increased production efficiency from businesses being closer together. The analysis shows that the railway is vital in rebalancing the economy benefiting the north overall more than the south.

The government expects considerable regeneration around stations delivering jobs and growth similar to the experience of HS1 (the Channel Tunnel rail link). ‘The strategic case’ points to £10 billion private sector investment around the new HS1 station sites as well as Google, the Crick Institute and other major international firms moving in to the area around King’s Cross and St Pancras demonstrating the likely economic investment expected along the HS2 route.

The government has updated the benefit to cost ratio (BCR) of the railway, valuing it at 2.3 or providing 2 pounds worth of benefits for every one pound spent. This is similar to Crossrail and higher than the benefit cost ratio for some other major projects when approved, such as Thames Link and the Jubilee Line extension. The BCR will increase to 4.5 if rail demand continues to rise until 2049.

Other benefits of the railway included in the document are estimates from Network Rail that over 100 cities and towns could benefit from new or improved services as a result of capacity released on the existing rail network. These include:

• additional commuter services into London from places such as Watford, Milton Keynes, Rugby and Northampton
• new commuter services into Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester
• new longer distance services, for example providing new and better links between Bradford and London; Lincoln and London Shrewsbury and London; and Leeds and Cambridge
• more paths for rail freight, with at least 1,000 lorry-loads a day carried on the network

In addition, the government will also aim to ensure that all towns or cities which currently have a direct service to London will retain broadly comparable or better services once HS2 is completed. The government intends to launch a study to recommend how this can be done and also how services can support long term economic growth.

Sexual assault in Greenhithe 14 October, 10.30am, Station Road

Sexual assault in Greenhithe

14 October, 10.30am, Station Road

Kent Police is appealing for help from the public as they investigate an alleged sexual assault in Greenhithe.

 A man is reported to have approached a woman near Greenhithe railway station in Station Road at around 10.30am on 14 October and tried to strike up a conversation before assaulting her.

He is described as a black man, in his late 20s and of medium build. He is estimated to be around 5ft 6ins in height, with short plaited hair, stubble and a mobile phone hands-free earpiece on his left ear. He wore a black North Face thin coat and navy blue denim jeans.

PC Martin Reynolds, of Kent Police, said: 'This was a distressing incident. 'Fortunately the victim was not injured but she has been left shaken and upset.'

Anybody with information is asked to call PC Reynolds on 07870 252002, quoting crime reference XY/032945/13. Alternatively, if you would prefer to remain anonymous, call Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Posted on: 28 October 2013

Buses will run between Greenhithe and Gravesend through to Strood as rail passengers face 15-day closure over Christmas and New Year, from December 22 to January 6.

Rail journeys from Higham through to Northfleet could be extended by nearly an hour when 15 days of work is carried out at Gravesend train station.

Rail journeys from Higham through to Northfleet could be extended by nearly an hour when 15 days of work is carried out at Gravesend railway station.

Gravesend train station

by Thom Morris

tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

Southeastern has announced that engineering works will start on December 22 and run until January 5. All lines will be closed and no trains will run between Northfleet and Higham.

Rathmore Road in Gravesend will also be closed whilst £19 million of work is carried out at Gravesend train station.

The station’s platform will be extended to allow for longer 12-car trains, a new footbridge will be built, and lifts installed to provide access to all platforms. A third platform will also be added. Part of the works will include a 15-day closure over Christmas and New Year, from December 22 to January 6.

This is needed to complete the track layout changes and station construction work. An additional platform will also be fitted. Buses will run between Greenhithe and Gravesend through to Strood.

Customer relations manager for Southeastern Alison Nolan said: “The work at Gravesend is critical for us to be able to increase capacity and run longer trains on the network, but we know the work to make this happen will result in some inconvenience for our passengers.

“We’ve spent a great deal of time working together with Network Rail, Transport for London and local bus operators to develop a range of alternative travel arrangements for customers during this time.

"We’ve written directly to our customers to give advanced notice of these plans and to enable people to plan their travel this Christmas,” she said.

CG version of how the station will look once completed

Network Rail’s route managing director for Kent Fiona Taylor said: “Gravesend station will be vastly improved and the reconstructed platforms will mean longer trains can be accommodated, providing more seats for passengers.

“It is a complicated project which requires the station to be closed for 15 days to carry out the work to the track and station.

"We recognise that this will cause some disruption to passengers’ and we have timed the work to take place over what is traditionally a less busy time on the railway.

"We are working closely with Southeastern to minimise the impact as much as possible and I am confident the long-term benefits to passengers will outweigh the short-term disruption.”

Gravesend train station

Elderly Greenhithe residents enjoy Autumn Tea Party thrown by school pupils

Heart warming story from the News Shopper:

Elderly Greenhithe residents enjoy Autumn Tea Party thrown by school pupils

 By Heloise Wood                                                       4:20pm Friday 18th October 2013 in News

 

Kayleigh Sparrow, 11, and Nathan Young, 10, served elderly residents

GREENHITHE pupils served up an array of tasty treats for their annual Autumn Tea Party on Wednesday (October 16).

Elderly people were invited to  spend the afternoon at Knockhall Community Primary School in Eynsford Road where they sampled sandwiches, tea and cake.

There was a variety of entertainment including dancing, singing and bingo and prizes for the games were even donated by local businesses as well as parents and staff.

School administrator Katherine Seeger said: “It went really well and the hall was full.
“We’ve been running the tea party for years and the elderly people love it.

“The kids got on stage and sang traditional songs and everyone joined it.
“All the elderly people went home with a raffle prize as well.”