Gracious Lane Bridge Update

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“Most of you will be aware that completion of the project on the Gracious Lane Bridge has been at a stand-still now for weeks.
This is due to underground utilities problems which have prevented the continuation of the work.
The good news is they have found a suitable solution at last, but regrettably we will not get the bridge fully open until late May or early June.
The contractors are planning on working behind the current barriers, but there will be a couple of total weekend closures towards the end of the work.
Our contacts at Highways England have promised to confirm closure dates after Easter.
I would like to thank everyone for their on-going continued patience. We will get there!
This last go-slow has not been the fault of Highways England, but due  to the utility company’s involved.”
Rosie Wood
Weald parish Council.

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on 27th April at 7:30pm in the Memorial Hall. All are welcome. The agenda is below:

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Speed limits in the village

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Kent County Council has published its plans for changing the speed limits in and around the village following the campaign by the traffic action group. Residents and others have until 14th March to comment on the proposals below.

GATWICK EXPANSION

Weald Parish Council wishes to object to the proposed expansion of Gatwick Airport on the following grounds:

1. Changes in travel habits caused by the Covid-19 pandemic mean that the economic case for the proposed plans is questionable. Technology, allied to the unwillingness of individuals to make business trips that now seem less necessary than they did, means that there is unlikely to be the dramatic rise in business traffic that airlines and airports are wishing for. Leisure travel remains subject to health concerns and, in any case, is likely to be affected by changing individual behaviours in response to concerns about climate change, which is a far more serious issue even than the pandemic. Trips such as the city breaks on which Gatwick previously thrived are likely to become less popular.

2. The benefits to the local community in terms of jobs are overstated. The media campaign suggesting that local artisans will in some way benefit is misleading. It is far more likely that any expansion will just lead to the creation of more low-level jobs on zero hours or minimum wages.

3. Expansion of Gatwick fits badly with Government commitments to reducing emissions. Aircraft produce far more of these than just about any other activity. And then there are the emissions that will be produced by the extra traffic predicted, not to mention those created by the construction equipment that would carry out the anticipated works. Incidentally, such works would swallow up yet more precious South-east countryside that would otherwise help to sequester carbon.

4. Such an increase in air travel provision in the South-east would also go against the Government’s much touted policy of “levelling-up”. If any development were really felt to be needed at a national level, thought should be given to siting it somewhere more in need of development.

5. People living in villages in Kent, Surrey and Sussex do so largely because they enjoy the comparative tranquility of country life. Any expansion of the airport - both during the construction works and after they are completed - would necessarily be detrimental to this enjoyment.

6. This appears to be a vanity project on the part of the airport management that rides roughshod over the views of the local communities and flies in the face of the current economic realities.