August Bank Holiday Monday 2010 saw the latest annual Oldtimer Rally take place on The Leas Folkestone. Organised by The Grand, this event was again well supported by numerous classic cars and took place in glorious sunshine with thousands of spectators and enthusiasts alike admiring the exhibits.

One more reason to Discover Folkestone and enjoy the numerous events taking place throughout the year.

http://www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk

© http://www.colinjon.co.uk

Image via Wikipedia

Following the heavy snow before Christmas, Kent has again been tested with further falls of snow over the last few days. In parts of Kent the snow and ice is the worst seen for over 20 years and more is expected.

Kent Highway Services is working around the clock to keep primary and secondary routes open which amounts to over 1,500 miles of Kent’s roads.

We have been joined in this challenge by local councils and Commercial Services, who are working alongside our highway crews in keeping town centres open for business. Other voluntary organisations and businesses are being engaged, making it a true community response.

Whilst we won’t cover every road and pavement - the priority must be to keep the primary routes open – we are doing our very best to keep Kent moving and we are continually listening and learning so that we provide the best service we possibly can.

With regards to salt, KHS started off the winter service with significant stock and this is standing us in good stead.  We are managing this supply soundly to ensure that we can provide a good service right through the winter.

Please be assured that whilst this is an exceptional winter, we are well placed to manage it.

We realise that this weather is causing a great deal of damage to the road network and plans and funding are already in place to deal with this as soon as the exceptional weather abates.

Yours sincerely

Nick Chard - Cabinet Member for Environment Highways & Waste

Caroline Bruce - Interim Director of Kent Highway Services

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Yesterdays heavy snowfall caused chaos on Shepways Roads with many drivers having to abandon their car at the side of the road and continue their journey on foot.

Commuters travelling home from work on the M20 and other motorways would probably have been able to complete that part of their journey - but as they got closer to home and left the motorway onto the A roads they would have slid to a snowy halt.

Many A roads had not been adequately gritted and as snowfall increased into the evening many drivers had to abandon their car at the side of the road to complete their journey on foot. Sandgate resident Richard Grundy who had to pick up his partner from a late meeting in Folkestone said:

“When I dropped my partner off to the meeting in Folkestone at 7pm it was not snowing however she rang me just before 9pm to let me know her meeting had finished and looking out of the window I could see it was now snowing heavily.”

“We live on a steep and windey hill and driving down the hill was a nightmare as I sometimes came close to sliding into parked cars but not being able to turn round in this narrow road I had to keep going. The main road into Folkestone had several inches of snow covering it. After collecting my partner I drove back home but the roads were increasingly icy and although driving very slowly I was unable to negotiate a downhill corner - the car just kept sliding downhill right past the turning. Others cars following me had the same problem and it was clear that it was too dangerous to go any further by car so I pulled into the kerb and parked up. We walked the final mile, through heavy snow, to get home as this seemed the safest option.”

  Pictures of M20 and A roads on night of 6th Jan courtesy of Tom Weatherley

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Children from Hawkinge Primary School were shaken today as their school bus hit a tree when it was dropping them off for swimming lessons.

This morning (Tuesday) the double decker school bus picked up children aged 8 and 9 from Hawkinge Primary School to take them to their regular swimming lessons in the Folkestone swimming pool. However when they got to the swimming pool the school coach driver was positioning the bus so that the children could get off safely and the bus was reversed into a tree which smashed the rear window.

Broken glass showered children sitting at the back of the bus, one teacher suffered slight cuts to his hand in trying to shield the chidren from the glass. Children were frightened, shocked and crying but luckily nobody suffered any serious injuries and the children eventually left the bus for their swimming lessons before returning to school afterwards. Hawkinge Primary School notified all parents immediately, either by phone or text message, that their children were safe.

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Along with most of Shepway over the weekend Sandgate, a coastal village, was battered by gusting winds and torrential rain and as a result suffered damage to trees, property and flooded roads.

During howling winds and torrential rain on Saturday (14th Nov) the Sandgate Village Sign, in the centre of Sandgate, was blown over landing on its side causing damage to the wrought iron metal frame work and the decorative wooden sign. On close inspection it could be seen that the village sign had snapped off at the base. For reasons of safety Cllr Jan Holben, helped by partner Richard Grundy, removed the village sign to await repairs.

In Coolinge Lane fallen trees partially blocked the road so that cars had to drive on the far side of the road to pass. Cllr Jan Holben, again helped by her partner Richard Grundy, tried to pull one of the smaller trees out of the way of passing traffic but the strong winds dragged the tree back into the road again. Cllr Holben notified the Police - who came to the area to ensure that the traffic hazard signs were erected to minimise the hazard to traffic during the approaching nightfall.

Enbrook Road was almost impassable due to flooding caused by the heavy rain which cascaded like a river down down Military Road and the smaller roads leading into Enbrook Road. Recently fallen leaves blocked drains in the area which meant that they were unable to cope with the torrential rainfall and the drains were overflowing into the road and flowing downhill.

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