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Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

08/01/19

External Board/Outside Body

External Board/Outside Body

Medway Valley Line Steering Group

Councillor(s) represented on the Outside Body/External Board

Clive English

Report Author

Clive English

Date of External Board/Outside Body Meeting Attended

11/12/18

Purpose of the External Board/Outside Body:

This is the local rail partnership and its work therefore overlaps to some extent with the Kent Community Rail Partnership. Its main role is to bring together local Borough, and Parish Councils and other stakeholders along the line. It discusses detailed issues from new ticket machines and re-timetabling services to reusing signal boxes and promoting the railway for tourism purposes. To this end much of the activity is promotional by running events such as walks and historical recreations such as the WW1 train, or aimed at public involvement i.e. community adoption of stations.

Update:

Since the last meeting, work has taken place on reusing vacant station buildings including at Wateringbury and improve Snodland Station. Representations have been made on the DFT funding for Station improvements. As a result Maidstone West has been shortlisted for access funding and the final decision is awaited.

Representations continue to be made on issues surrounding the new franchise, which is unlikely to be in place by April 1^st 2019, and campaigning continues to safeguard and enhance high speed services.

Concerns have been raised with Tonbridge and Malling Council regarding the complete absence of any reference to the line in the emerging local plan at a comparatively late stage.

Elsewhere educational and community events to promote the line and sustainable transport have taken place including the Santa Train on December 15^th, (part funded by Maidstone Borough Councillors) and work has commenced with the KRCP on the DFT’s Community Rail Strategy.