Compost suggestion to cut tip trips
I write in response to a letter from Mrs JA French, published on August 27.
She tells us that she is having problems recycling at Tovil tip all the green waste generated by her large garden and I would like to suggest that she dedicates a small area within the garden, which may help with the issue.
This can be for use as a compost heap for the waste, perhaps after shredding?
As well as being environmentally friendly, this would save her the inconvenience of making these trips and of loading and unloading her vehicle.
It would also, in due course, provide her with a supply of valuable compost which she could use to nurture her plants.
Henry Middleton
Maidstone but no the current site notice states that repair works will not be completed until Summer 2021 a year away.
That will be a closure of a 1 ½ years. This is utterly disgraceful and a public scandal.
Since this route opened from Barming Bridge to Aylesford Bridge in 2015, it has become extremely popular with cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and levels of fitness and is now a major cycling route for people to get to the town centre and the Aylesford industrial estates. It would easily have been possible over the spring to put in some temporary timber decking to bridge the damaged area, which would have allowed walkers and cyclists to use the route while longer term repairs were done, but no close it off, forget it and hope it goes away seems to be the approach.
The Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum has raised this issue with Kent County Council, but to no avail. It does not seem to be interested in prioritising walking and cycling in Kent, despite being happy to take Government money.
If this had been the A20 or any main road into or out of Maidstone or the M20, it would have been repaired within hours or days. Because it is used by cyclist and pedestrians it is the bottom of the pile.
The towpath is much loved by residents, we deserve better
Paul Harper
Chair of Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum