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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
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00:30.
00:46Seeing red, Medway's red root scheme wears thin on paint and patience.
00:55And Foxtrot Festival, we take a look at the international dance competition hosted right
00:59here in Medway.
01:08Apologies for some technical difficulties there, but I will still be bringing you all your
01:13stories from around Kent.
01:15First tonight, boarded up shop fronts, stock photos of haircuts and the haze of newly bought
01:20vapes in Kent's town centres.
01:23That's the picture that many can see in our high streets across the county.
01:27But we're bringing you news of a government drive to regenerate town centres that some
01:31say could make that image a thing of the past.
01:35As plenty of different shoppers have been telling our local democracy reporter, that's Ollie Leder,
01:39it's been a very long time coming.
01:43A town that has got a history of well over a thousand years, and this high street is quite
01:49depressing.
01:50Yeah, I'm just looking up and down the high street, they're really not an inspiring set
01:53of shops at all.
01:54If I didn't live here, would I come and visit?
01:57No.
01:58The resounding feeling on the streets of Dover, once a bustling town centre, now filled with
02:05empty shop fronts, and the increasingly familiar neon signs and blacked out windows of vape
02:12shops and gambling stores that are fast becoming the defining image of Kent's urban decline.
02:19Well, no, there's too many of them at the moment.
02:22And, you know, there isn't any decent clothes shops around here at all.
02:26People are not going to come to visit a vape and a barbers, are they?
02:30But there is hope at last that local councils will soon have the powers to turn things around,
02:37as the government have announced a new Pride in Place programme that will give our authorities
02:43who manage planning matters the power to veto or limit bookies, dodgy barbers and vape
02:50shops, which are a common sight even in the most affluent places.
02:55Even Canterbury, Kent's Cathedral City still has a few telltale signs of urban decline, such
03:01as the old vacant nation's department store.
03:04But councillors here hope the Pride in Place strategy will give them the powers to do something about this.
03:10You know, every new shop seems to be a vaping shop.
03:13The council will be able to have regulations around that.
03:16But the thing that I'm most passionate about is that it will give councils the powers.
03:21If a premises has been empty for two years, to put those premises up for auction.
03:28With councils like Canterbury set to get expanded powers to compulsorily purchase abandoned buildings
03:35and block certain businesses, do locals share the excitement?
03:40Well, I welcome it if they did it, but they don't get on with doing any of this, it's just promises.
03:47I've been looking at decline now for about seven years, maybe eight.
03:51I want to see this building used, I want to see that building used, but for what purpose?
03:55But the new powers may not be the short-term fix people here are looking for.
04:02I think they're potentially important tools in some parts of the country, but they're not a solution on their own.
04:09The idea that we need to, as a community, come together and find out, look, why are these units vacant?
04:16Who is the property owner? What can be done about that? I think that that is important for us.
04:22And there are some who don't welcome the plans at all, with concerns that legitimate vape shops
04:29will be lumped in with other cash-intensive businesses associated with money laundering.
04:36The eyesore on the high street are those rogue traders, and that's what needs to be dealt with.
04:40And once they are gone from the high street, then you can really rejuvenate the high street,
04:44bring other start-ups and businesses in and really build that community,
04:49which we all want to have and see back on the high street.
04:52Not it, but I think councils will struggle to differentiate between the reputable retailers and the rogue traders.
04:59The devil will be in the detail about how these new powers work.
05:03But with such strong feelings from across the county, there might finally be some sunshine for Kent's high streets,
05:11as the autumn skies set in.
05:15Olly Leda in Canterbury.
05:18Next, a man was arrested in connection with a car and house arson in North Fleet,
05:23but was later released on bail.
05:26Aaron Dillon of Gainsborough Drive said he awoke at around 7 in the morning last Friday
05:31to find his BMW M5 on fire, which quickly spread to his house.
05:36Mr Dillon's car and house were destroyed and believed the arson was a targeted attack.
05:41The police are treating the cause of the fire as suspicious.
05:46Next, a predator who circled a car park looking for a teenage boy to sexually abuse has been locked up.
05:55The arrest at the minute.
05:56Under Section 15, I have engaged me in sexual communication with a child under Sexual Offences Act 2003.
06:02Simon Hancock drove 20 miles from Dartford to Maidstone to meet a child he had groomed online for several days.
06:09He sent a series of explicit messages on apps such as Snapchat,
06:12where he sent obscene images of himself, sorry, to the child knowing the boy was underage.
06:18When intercepted by police at a car park near Moat Park,
06:21they seized a kitchen knife and two phones from his vehicle.
06:25He was later charged with arranging or facilitating a child sex offence,
06:29attempted sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of a child.
06:33Detective Constable Ellie Campbell said this case serves as a stark reminder
06:37of the dangers that children can face online.
06:40Now, Medway Council's controversial red route scheme is facing new criticism,
06:46this time surrounding the paint used to draw the lines.
06:49Despite the council spending hundreds of thousands of pounds to change double yellows to red,
06:53the lines are already fading.
06:55It's left business owners and residents disgruntled, saying the money could have been better spent,
07:00as Maisie Walker reports.
07:02In May, double yellow lines on some major Medway roads turned red.
07:10It was a choice questioned by traders and residents alike,
07:14with the whole scheme coming to more than £800,000.
07:17It's been five months since the red marks first appeared,
07:20and they've already started to fade quite significantly in some areas.
07:24So it appears in order to enforce these red markings,
07:27the yellow ones were just simply painted over.
07:30But the issue with this is that with things like harsh weather and cars driving over them,
07:35the yellow starts to peek through.
07:38Many residents have expressed their discontent with the markings,
07:41particularly business owners along the roadside,
07:43one of whom claims the traffic management scheme forced him to shut down.
07:47Raining me now is a rat run.
07:51People fly through it, they don't come here.
07:53And that was down to the red route and down to the extortionate fees for the parking,
07:58which are going to only go up next year.
08:00The first week of the red route, we were down 40% in footfall.
08:04And that's obviously going to have the impact on revenues going forward.
08:08Cost going up, revenue going down, it's not a good recipe.
08:14It's not just business owners that aren't happy with the scheme.
08:17Some local residents find the cost a waste of taxpayers' money.
08:21Well, considering they cost £850,000 worth of taxpayers' money,
08:25absolutely ridiculous.
08:27That money could be better spent bringing people into the community,
08:32lowering the parking charge and also it's absolutely scandalous.
08:37But Medway Council remains confident in their choice,
08:40believing that the red routes will stop illegal and unsafe parking
08:44to create a safer network for all road users.
08:47What I would say is that the red routes didn't enforce any restrictions
08:52which weren't already there.
08:54It just changed the way that they were enforced.
08:56So these were double yellow lines previously.
08:59No one should have been stopping there.
09:00So nothing should have changed in that respect.
09:03What did happen when we brought in the red routes was,
09:06as a response to feedback from businesses, from residents, from other stakeholders,
09:11we actually introduced additional loading areas.
09:13So these were places that no one could legally stop before, but now they can.
09:18So I'm afraid I don't accept that claim because nobody is doing anything now
09:24that they weren't prohibited from doing before.
09:28And I'm here in the studio with our reporter, Maisie Walker.
09:31And even though I hold a full driver's license,
09:34I don't think I could tell you exactly what a red route means.
09:37So could you tell us a bit about it?
09:39Yes. So a red route is basically a more stern form of traffic enforcement
09:44compared to traditional double yellow lines.
09:47They mean that, you know, stopping to park or load is completely prohibited at any time,
09:56unless you're specifically, unless you're using a specifically designated bay
10:00or you're a driver with a valid blue badge or disability access.
10:05These routes are designed to keep traffic moving smoothly
10:09and reduce congestion in particularly busy areas.
10:12I see. And how exactly are these traffic laws typically enforced?
10:16Yes. So enforcement usually relies on a network of automatic number plate recognition cameras.
10:23These cameras continuously monitor the designated red routes,
10:27capturing any vehicles that appear to be in violation of the rules.
10:32Once a potential violation is flagged, the footage is then reviewed
10:37and verified by a council officer to ensure accuracy.
10:42And then if that violation is then confirmed, the footage is reviewed.
10:48Sorry. The driver will then receive a fine of £70.
10:51And then if that fine is paid within a specified timeframe,
10:55it's then reduced to £35.
10:57I see. We haven't got too long left.
10:59But do we have a lot of red routes in Medway? Are they particularly common?
11:02Yes. So we have five designated red routes in Medway.
11:05These are located on Corporation Street and Star Hill in Rochester,
11:10the Brook and Best Street in Chatham and the A2 in Raynham High Street.
11:14I see. Brilliant. Thank you so much for bringing us all those details, Maisie.
11:18Now, that is all we have time for. For now, it is time for a break.
11:25But coming up, we have all sorts of news to bring you.
11:29We're going to speak with Darren Young, the ambassador for the Kent Disability Football League,
11:33about the start of their new season.
11:35We will, as always, be keeping you updated on the weather.
11:39And we'll find out more about the thousands of dancers
11:41who've been shimmying their way to Medway for the International Dance Festival.
11:45All that and more after the break.
12:15As always, we should do so, thank you to myпер
12:31.
12:32.
12:36.
12:38.
15:46It's not really a club. It is the biggest league in the UK.
15:51So they've got pilots areas of the UK popping up with disability football teams.
15:58But Kent for the last 10, 15 years have been the largest in the country.
16:02So what we're trying to do is to include as many different disabilities over the area of Kent.
16:09We had 60 teams which came forward over the last few years.
16:14We've had four new teams join this season.
16:19Last weekend was the first tournament for the juniors.
16:23Next weekend at the Abbey School in Fathersham is for the adults.
16:27So it's getting bigger and bigger as it goes on.
16:29That's amazing. And what do you think has kind of spurred that growth?
16:32You mentioned four new teams joining. Is it word of mouth? Is it behind the scenes work?
16:36Tell us a bit about that.
16:38It's extremely hard because although we're the biggest, not many people know about the league.
16:43So even I've had meetings with the Kent FA, Head of Communications for the FA, and they were still unaware that we were the biggest in the country.
16:54So I've had meetings with them.
16:56We're trying to put it out to the rest of the media, be it through social media.
17:01But obviously this is a better platform for it.
17:04So we're trying to just get word of mouth out there.
17:08Argument's sake, there is Medway, United, they've got a team which they only just brought into the fold.
17:16They haven't got enough for a team at the moment to enter the league, but we're hoping within the next four or five weeks they should have a team.
17:23Amazing. And last Sunday saw the start of that new season.
17:26You mentioned tournaments there.
17:27I'm aware that a lot of games happen very close to each other. Is that right?
17:32Yes. So in one day they'll have one tournament where it is the under-11s, under-13s and under-16s.
17:38So they'll all come together at the Abbey School and a big tournament will be run on the day.
17:43I think the last count, what we had last weekend was over 125 goals scored in a day.
17:51We've got a couple of people which we might be introducing into a documentary which we're doing.
17:57One of them is George. He kept two clean sheets and I've never seen a smile bigger than his when I was saying hello at the end of it.
18:03But the league is getting bigger, but we want it bigger.
18:06But we also want them to have a home where they can call it a home instead of just renting from the Abbey School and looking for a place anywhere in Kent.
18:14I see. And towards that goal, I'm aware, you mentioned that documentary.
18:17You've called it a fly-on-the-wall documentary.
18:19Can you tell us a bit about what that means and what viewers could expect?
18:23So what we're hoping to do is we have around about 600 – no, 700 was the last count of footballers registered.
18:31What we want to do is – it's very easy for me. I've got a son who plays football.
18:36We can get him up 20 minutes before, tell him we need to leave in 20 minutes.
18:40But if you've got ADHD, if you've got cerebral palsy, if you've got any disability, be it mental or physical, then that time takes a lot more.
18:50We've done an interview with George and Holly and the first thing they said is they've got to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning.
18:57If they don't, they leave at half past eight. This is two and a half hours after they get up.
19:02But anything within that period of time what disrupts their routine then can affect their football for the rest of the day.
19:09I see. It sounds like a very important thing. I think a lot of people wouldn't really realise that, wouldn't know that.
19:15Is that what the documentary is really there to do, to promote that?
19:18Yeah, so we are looking at six families. What we're going to hopefully follow will be in their house at 5 o'clock in the morning when they're drawing the curtains open.
19:27So we can see the highs, the lows, the tantrums, the arguments, the smiles, the celebrations.
19:34Everything what you see on one game of football for able-bodied people, we see on a daily basis with every disabled footballer.
19:44But we want to highlight how good it is.
19:46Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Darren, and all the best with the documentary and the new campaign.
19:53Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website.
19:58That's kmtv.co.uk.
20:00There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about Westmalling residents concerned with plans for 200 homes on Offham Road.
20:07Residents in Westmalling are campaigning against an application for 200 homes on Offham Road farmland, after discovering immediate action plans through an FOI request.
20:19Miller Homes stated that the site is in a highly sustainable location and is close to a range of services located in Westmalling.
20:27But locals in the area strongly disagree.
20:30So we've got a great action group across all of the residents, particularly those that live on Offham Road, and everybody shares the same view.
20:37We all appreciate the need to meet the housing targets, but our goal is to try and find the most sustainable way to do that.
20:43It's very clear to us that this really is not the best place to build over 200 new homes, over 500 cars, and all of the local residents and traffic that would come with that.
20:55This isn't a suitable location.
20:57It's consistently constrained from the country lanes and the narrow roads, so access is really limited.
21:03Services aren't available.
21:05It just is not an appropriate place to build 200 new houses.
21:09This farmland is classed as an area of outstanding natural beauty, and that's just one of the reasons why residents here are opposed to the pre-application.
21:17As well as that, they're worried about the amount of traffic that it could bring into the already narrow roads,
21:22and some older residents say that they're worried about their health, as GP numbers are already stretched.
21:27Not a good time to be ill with the GP shortages, so it's really a consideration.
21:34It's not at all healthy to have this, and the bend is also very bad.
21:39Getting out of the driveway is going to be difficult, and it really is a bad angle, really, to have all this building going on.
21:49But it's not just personal worries that have led to this campaign.
21:53If you walk around this area, you'll often see deer, bats, swifts.
21:57We've got red hawks flying around.
21:59We noticed activity from ecological surveys early on, which gave us thought around a pre-planning application.
22:08And we've used that to understand the intent, and that is, as I say, to build 200 houses on this wonderful land
22:15that unfortunately will move all of that wildlife completely out of this area.
22:20We will lose it forever.
22:21A spokesperson for Miller Homes said,
22:24We're in early talks with planning officers about new housing in West Mulling, including highways.
22:30Once initial meetings with the council are complete, we'll share plans with residents and outline the benefits of the scheme.
22:37Tunbridge and Mulling Council have said,
22:38Now for a quick look at the weather.
23:08Skies remain clear this evening, making for a calm and quiet night.
23:18Later on, temperatures will dip slightly, highs around 15 degrees early on, cooling to a low of 12 degrees overnight.
23:26Now you should expect a chilly start to your day.
23:29Morning lows will hover around 13 degrees.
23:31And while the clouds will roll in, the air will stay relatively cool, with just a high of 14 degrees.
23:37As we move into the afternoon, the cloud cover begins to thin, allowing for some sunny spells.
23:46Now, more than 10,000 dancers from 60 countries have foxtrotted into Medway this week for the 72nd International Dance Festival.
23:57The competition is the official qualifier for the prestigious finals at the Royal Albert Hall and even features 20 volunteer translators to make sure the world's dancing talents construct their stuff without any worry.
24:07I waltzed my way down to Medway Park Sports Centre earlier on.
24:13This week, Medway Sports Centre has been hosting tens of thousands of dancers from 60 different countries around the world in the International Dance Festival,
24:21where the performers can qualify for the prestigious finals at the Royal Albert Hall.
24:25And one dancing duo have come all the way from Ukraine to compete, but it hasn't been an easy journey.
24:30And I would like to tell you about what happens in Ukraine now, in the country we're living now, we came from.
24:38And it's really hard to train as we do.
24:41Actually, every night, every night we hear, like, booms and we hear, yeah, we hear that the drones, the rockets, they fly somewhere here and, yes, and that's really hard.
25:01Every night is hard.
25:02Maria and Kostiantin are 10 and 11, joining one of the many groups of young dancers, with other groups of different styles, ages and abilities also taking part.
25:12I'd almost call it the battle royale of dance.
25:14And that's because, as you can see, the performers have to strut their stuff in large groups, vying for the judges' attention and for their high rankings.
25:23Anyone who says dance isn't a sport certainly hasn't seen it done like this before.
25:27And with thousands of people here for an event lasting from the morning until the late hours of the night, volunteer translators have been called in from across the Medway towns to help the participants.
25:37I think Saturday there was a couple of people that came along.
25:41They were looking really just to prepare themselves for the following day.
25:45So it was good just to be able to converse with them, just make them feel at ease, just be able to bring them down to the reception, the main reception area as well, just to welcome them into the front entrance also.
25:59And also just to, just pleasantries, it's just nice to be able to welcome them in from that perspective as well and just to make them feel at ease.
26:08This marks the fifth time that Medway have hosted the event, all starting with a coincidental meeting.
26:14This got started through one of our actual council officers here, having a chance conversation with a local dance coordinator and it's just built from there.
26:23And this is, it's going from two days a week to now this festival's five days and it's so popular.
26:30It's really good for the local economy.
26:32Well, you need to go inside and have a look for yourself.
26:34The event runs from 6am until 1 in the morning.
26:37So even though the dancers are only on stage for a few minutes, some could be there for up to 19 hours, making it more of a marathon than a moonwalk.
26:45Finn McDermid for KMTV in Medway.
26:49More news coming up after this short break.
30:20Pride in Place. Kent reacts to new government strategy promising to revitalise our high street.
30:26Seeing red, Medway's red route scheme wears thin on paint and on patience.
30:34And Foxtrot Festival.
31:04That's the picture in many of our high streets across the county.
31:07But a government drive to regenerate town centres could make that image a thing of the past.
31:12As shoppers have been telling our local democracy reporter, Ollie Leder, it's been a long time coming.
31:17It's a town that's a town that's a town that has got a history of well over a thousand years and this high street is quite depressing.
31:26Yeah, I'm just looking up and I'm just looking up and down the high street.
31:27Yeah, I'm just looking up and down the high street. They're really not an inspiring set of shops at all.
31:30If I didn't live here, would I come and visit? No.
31:34The resounding feeling on the high street, the resounding feeling on the streets of Dover, once a bustling town centre now filled with empty shop fronts and the increasingly familiar neon signs and blacked out windows of vape shops and gambling stores that are fast becoming the defining image of Kent's urban decline.
31:56Well, no, there's too many of them at the moment.
31:58And, you know, there isn't any decent close shops around here at all.
32:02People are not going to come to visit a vape and a barber, are they?
32:06But there is hope at last that local councils will soon have the powers to turn things around.
32:13As the government have announced a new Pride in Place programme that will give our authorities who manage planning matters the power to veto or limit bookies,
32:24dodgy barbers, dodgy barbers and vape shops, which are a common sight even in the most affluent places.
32:31Even Canterbury, Kent Cathedral City still has a few telltale signs of urban decline, such as the old vacant nation's department store.
32:41But councillors here hope the Pride in Place strategy will give them the powers to do something about this.
32:47You know, every new shop seems to be a vaping shop.
32:50The council will be able to have regulations around that.
32:53But the thing that I'm most passionate about is that it will give councils the powers,
32:58if a premises has been empty for two years, to put those premises up for auction.
33:05With councils like Canterbury set to get expanded powers to compulsorily purchase abandoned buildings and block certain businesses,
33:14do locals share the excitement?
33:16Well, I welcome it if they did it, but they don't get on with doing any of this, it's just promises.
33:24I've been looking at decline now for about seven years, maybe eight.
33:28I want to see this building used, I want to see that building used, but for what purpose?
33:32But the new powers may not be the short-term fix people here are looking for.
33:38I think they're potentially important tools in some parts of the country, but they're not a solution on their own.
33:46The idea that we need to, as a community, come together and find out, look, why are these units vacant?
33:53Who is the property owner? What can be done about that? I think that that is important for us.
33:59And there are some who don't welcome the plans at all, with concerns that legitimate vape shops will be lumped in
34:07with other cash-intensive businesses associated with money laundering.
34:13The ISO on the high street are those rogue traders, and that's what needs to be dealt with.
34:17And once they are gone from the high street, then you can really rejuvenate the high street,
34:22bring other startups and businesses in and really build that community,
34:26which we all want to have and see back on the high street.
34:29But I think councils will struggle to differentiate between the reputable retailers and the rogue traders.
34:36The devil will be in the detail about how these new powers work.
34:41But with such strong feelings from across the county,
34:44there might finally be some sunshine for Kent's high streets as the autumn skies set in.
34:52Ollie Leder in Canterbury.
34:55Next, police are seeking information about a BMW involved in a hit and run on the M20.
35:01The incident resulted in gridlock on the London-bound carriageway on Tuesday last week,
35:07with emergency services arriving at the scene at 4.30pm.
35:11Police said last week the occupants of the car had left on foot before their arrival,
35:15but they soon arrested a 32-year-old near the scene who was bailed.
35:19No serious injuries were reported following the crash,
35:22but police still want to speak to witnesses who might have seen the vehicle travelling from the Folkestone Harbour area.
35:27In more news, a woman from Raynham has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison
35:33for grievous bodily harm with intent.
35:36Lauren Willis drove the wrong way around bobbing roundabout
35:39and intentionally ran into a scaffolder in May last year.
35:42The 28-year-old mum was sentenced in Maidstone Crown Court
35:45and, alongside a prison sentence,
35:47will also face a five-year driving ban and restraining order against the victims.
35:51Now, Medway Council's controversial red route scheme is facing new criticism,
36:02this time surrounding the paint use to actually draw the lines.
36:05Now, despite the council spending hundreds of thousands of pounds
36:08to change double yellows to red, the lines are already fading.
36:12It's left business owners and residents disgruntled,
36:14saying the money could have been better spent, as Maisie Walker reports.
36:17In May, double yellow lines on some major Medway roads turned red.
36:27It was a choice questioned by traders and residents alike,
36:30with the whole scheme coming to more than £800,000.
36:34It's been five months since the red marks first appeared
36:37and they've already started to fade quite significantly in some areas.
36:41So it appears in order to enforce these red markings,
36:44the yellow ones were just simply painted over,
36:46but the issue with this is that with things like harsh weather
36:50and cars driving over them, the yellow starts to peek through.
36:54Many residents have expressed their discontent with the markings,
36:57particularly business owners along the roadside,
36:59one of whom claims the traffic management scheme forced him to shut down.
37:03Raining me now is a rat run.
37:07People cry through it, they don't come here.
37:09And that was down to the red route
37:10and down to the extortionate fees for the parking,
37:14which are going to only go up next year.
37:16The first week of the red route, we were down 40% in footfall
37:19and that's obviously going to have the impact on revenues going forward.
37:24Cost going up, revenue going down, it's not a good recipe.
37:30It's not just business owners that aren't happy with the scheme.
37:34Some local residents find the cost a waste of taxpayers' money.
37:37Well, considering they cost £850,000 worth of taxpayers' money,
37:42absolutely ridiculous.
37:44That money could be better spent bringing people into the community,
37:48lowering the parking charge and also it's absolutely scandalous.
37:53But Medway Council remains confident in their choice,
37:56believing that the red routes will stop illegal and unsafe parking
38:00to create a safer network for all road users.
38:03What I would say is that the red routes didn't enforce any restrictions
38:08which weren't already there.
38:10It just changed the way that they were enforced.
38:13So these were double yellow lines previously.
38:15No one should have been stopping there.
38:17So nothing should have changed in that respect.
38:19What did happen when we brought in the red routes
38:22was as a response to feedback from businesses,
38:25from residents, from other stakeholders.
38:27We actually introduced additional loading areas.
38:30So these were places that no one could legally stop before,
38:33but now they can.
38:34So I'm afraid I don't accept that claim
38:38because nobody is doing anything now
38:41that they weren't prohibited from doing before.
38:44Well, we're now joined with Maisie Walker,
38:47who obviously did that report.
38:49So, Maisie, talk us through what exactly a red route is
38:53and what it means.
38:53Yes, so red routes are basically more of a stern form
38:58of traffic enforcement
38:59compared to traditional double yellow lines.
39:03They mean that stopping parking or loading
39:05is completely prohibited at any time
39:08unless you're using a specifically designated bay
39:11or you're a driver with a valid blue badge
39:14or disability access.
39:16These routes are designed to keep traffic moving really smoothly
39:20and reduce congestion in particularly busy areas.
39:23And how are these traffic laws going to be enforced?
39:27So enforcement essentially relies on a network
39:31of automatic number plate recognition cameras.
39:35These cameras continuously monitor the designated red routes,
39:39capturing any vehicles that appear to be
39:41in violation of the rules.
39:44Once a potential violation is flagged,
39:46the footage is then reviewed and verified by a council officer
39:50to ensure accuracy.
39:52And then once the process of that has all gone through
39:55and the violation is confirmed,
39:57the driver will then receive a fine of £70
39:59but if paid within a specified time frame,
40:03reduced to £35.
40:05I see.
40:06And does Medway have a lot of these red routes?
40:08Is it quite common to see one when you're out driving?
40:10Yeah, so, you know,
40:11I believe there's five designated red routes
40:14in Medway at the moment.
40:15These are located on Corporation Street and Star Hill in Rochester
40:20and then the Brook and Best Street in Chatham
40:23and obviously the A2 Raynham High Street.
40:26These routes were introduced as a part of a broader effort
40:30to ease traffic congestion
40:32and improve road safety across the borough.
40:34And why are residents so angry about these lines?
40:38Yeah, so, you know,
40:39there's been a lot of frustration from local residents
40:42largely because of the red lines
40:44had only been installed five months ago.
40:47Many feel that they hadn't been maintained properly.
40:50And in fact, when I was down there speaking
40:52to a couple of residents,
40:53one common reaction was just simply,
40:55what red lines?
40:57What are you on about?
40:58So you can see the cause of their concern quite clearly.
41:01On the screen right now is an image
41:04of what the lines used to look like
41:06and then when they were first installed
41:12and beside them how they faded
41:13and how unclear they appear now.
41:16Yes, I can see how that might be confusing or frustrating.
41:20I suppose we haven't got much time left,
41:22but how are the lines actually put onto the roads?
41:24Yeah, so the red lines are applied using a method
41:27known as thermoplastic road surface marking.
41:31This involves heating a plastic-based material
41:33until it becomes molten,
41:34then applying it directly onto the road.
41:38Well, brilliant.
41:38Thank you so much for joining us on that one, Maisie.
41:41That is all the time we have for now,
41:43but we'll be back after this very short break.
41:46See you in a few minutes.
41:47See you in a few minutes.
42:47See you in a few minutes.
43:17See you in a few minutes.
43:47See you in a few minutes.
44:17See you in a few minutes.
44:47Hello, and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
45:14My name is Finn McDermott,
45:17and we're bringing you some comic news now.
45:19It's part of one of the most successful comic book
45:22and film franchises of all time.
45:25But did you know the creator of Guardians of the Galaxy
45:27is from Rochester?
45:28Dan Abnett, who's also written for the Warhammer 40,000 and DC Comics franchise,
45:33has been back in his home county, speaking to fans at Maidstone Lit Fest.
45:37Well, here he is sharing his tips with us.
45:39Well, one of those things I would describe as sort of relatability, that is to say, to give you as early as possible a character or character sort of thing that you can relate to.
45:51You go, well, I know what that is.
45:52Or I identify with that person.
45:54This might be a completely alien world.
45:56This might be, you know, 40,000 years in the future where there is only war, the galaxy is on fire, and everyone's got a headache.
46:02But I do respond to that character that has been presented to me.
46:06Now, a customer at Blue Water has said it's a miracle no one was injured after hoarding, after boarding, sorry, collapsed at the shopping centre.
46:15Well, Kristen joins me now with some more on the story.
46:18So, Kristen, talk us through how this all happened.
46:21So, first of all, it actually is hoarding.
46:23Now, I find this quite interesting because I didn't know what this was before, but it's basically the cover that goes around a building site.
46:29So, that basically collapsed on Saturday afternoon at about 3.15 p.m., very busy for a Blue Water.
46:38I mean, if you're going to Blue Water, you know for a fact that it's busy on a Saturday afternoon is all I'll say.
46:42But this collapsed, and it was actually due to Storm Amy that hit us on Friday and on Saturday.
46:48So, this is what happened, and a customer there called it a miracle that nobody was injured.
46:55They added that, you know, you can imagine how busy it was at about 3.15 p.m.
46:59How anyone is not injured is a miracle.
47:03The store that did see the damage was the previous House of Fraser store that closed in December.
47:10So, it left a large two-storey gap, which Next has now claimed they're going to move in soon.
47:17Yes, we can see that on screen now.
47:18Yes, so you can see the damage on screen.
47:21I mean, it is quite dramatic, really, for wind that we didn't think was going to be that bad.
47:26But it has caused damage there in Blue Water.
47:28The bosses have said that the hoarding was closed until it fell as a result of the high winds.
47:37So, yeah, I mean, it seems that we did see some damage after all.
47:40Absolutely.
47:40I mean, you don't expect it for Blue Water, especially since it's mostly an interior area.
47:45So, yeah, you told us a bit about what bosses there.
47:47Is there anything else that the Blue Water bosses have said in response?
47:50So, they said, thankfully, no guests or staff were in the immediate area at the time.
47:54The Blue Water team worked quickly to close the area to ensure guest safety.
47:59Work will soon be underway to replace the hoarding on the unit.
48:02And they're thanking all guests for their ongoing patience and understanding.
48:05As I can imagine that this was quite dramatic if you were there and maybe you wanted to go to different shops and it was all closed off.
48:11But the pictures that were shown of the area was cornered off, but workers – has been cornered off, sorry – and workers have now removed the collapsed hoarding.
48:22So, it should be safe to go now.
48:23Well, very good that no one was injured and now we know the meaning of the word hoarding.
48:27Thank you for that, Kristen.
48:28Thank you for bringing us this breaking news.
48:31Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website.
48:36That's kmtv.co.uk.
48:39There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about charity encouraging veterans in Gillingham to take up a new hobby of painting diorama kits.
48:47Let's have a look.
48:47What do helicopters, glue and military veterans all have in common?
48:54They can all be found in Models for Heroes sessions, which allows veterans to distract themselves, focus on something meaningful and find comfort in shared experiences.
49:05Founded in 2017, the charity hosts two sessions in Kent, one in Gillingham and the other in Aylesford, which sees attendees create and paint their own models.
49:16A recent collaboration between the Canterbury-based Agora Models, a company specialising in museum-grade model kits, has donated these to veteran groups in support of World Mental Health Day next week.
49:29Models for Heroes is a support group for military veterans and emergency personnel and their group revolves around making models, assembling model kits and building dioramas.
49:42But why models?
49:43A study in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy found creative hobbies boost mental well-being and focusing on a personal project creates a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
49:54People get so much out of it.
49:57I can't sort of emphasise that enough.
49:59It's, you know, guys that maybe for the first time have come out and, you know, interacted with a group of ex-service personnel.
50:11And it's not long before, as I say, the banter starts.
50:18But it's great.
50:19It's almost like a steam valve releasing all that pressure that's been built up.
50:27And it does help so much.
50:29And increased well-being is not the only benefit on offer here.
50:33As you can see here, these are super fiddly, but they're great for improving dexterity.
50:37I'm really struggling here, but these guys are much better than me.
50:41For some, Models for Heroes sessions have been a lifeline.
50:45I'm a veteran in the military of 17 and a half years in the Royal Engineers and I suffer with PTSD and it helps no end.
50:59Unfortunately, I've been to some dark places and I know the benefit of this because, as I said, it pushes all the nasty thoughts to the back of the mind.
51:10As long as places like these continue to offer support for veterans, the war against loneliness wages on.
51:18Megan Shaw for KMTV in Jenningham.
51:23Now it's time for the weather.
51:30Skies remain clear this evening, making for a calm and quiet night.
51:34Temperatures dipping slightly.
51:35Highs around 15 degrees early on, cooling slightly.
51:38Now, expect a chilly start to your day.
51:40Morning lows hovering around 13 degrees, clouds rolling in.
51:44And into the afternoon, the cloud cover begins to thin, allowing for some more sunny spells.
51:49Temperatures rising to a comfortable 17 degrees.
51:52And here's your outlook for the coming days.
51:53Wednesday brings a mostly cloudy sky, temperatures reaching a very mild 18 degrees.
51:58Now, more than 10,000 dancers across from 60 countries around the world have foxtrotted into Medway this week for the 72nd International Dance Festival.
52:16The competition is the official qualifier for the prestigious finals at the Royal Albert Hall.
52:21It even features 20 volunteer translators, all to make sure the world's dancing talents construct their stuff without any worry.
52:28I waltzed my way down to Medway Park Sports Centre earlier on.
52:31This week, Medway Sports Centre has been hosting tens of thousands of dancers from 60 different countries around the world in the International Dance Festival,
52:41where the performers can qualify for the prestigious finals at the Royal Albert Hall.
52:45And one dancing duo have come all the way from Ukraine to compete.
52:49But it hasn't been an easy journey.
52:50And I would like to tell about what happens in Ukraine now and the country we're living now, where we came from.
52:58And it's really hard to train as we do.
53:03Actually, every night, every night we hear like booms and we hear that drones, the rockets, they fly somewhere here.
53:17And it's different. Yes, and that's really hard. Every night is hard.
53:23Maria and Kostiantin are 10 and 11, joining one of the many groups of young dancers,
53:28with other groups of different styles, ages and abilities also taking part.
53:32I'd almost call it the battle royale of dance.
53:34And that's because, as you can see, the performers have to strut their stuff in large groups,
53:39vying for the judges' attention and for their high rankings.
53:43Anyone who says dance isn't a sport certainly hasn't seen it done like this before.
53:48And with thousands of people here for an event lasting from the morning until the late hours of the night,
53:53volunteer translators have been called in from across the Medway towns to help the participants.
53:57I think Saturday there was a couple of people that came along.
54:01They were looking really just to prepare themselves for the following day.
54:05So it was good just to be able to converse with them, just make them feel at ease,
54:10just be able to bring them down to the reception, the main reception area as well,
54:15just to welcome them into the front entrance also.
54:19And also just pleasantries, it's just nice to be able to welcome them in from that perspective as well,
54:27and just to make them feel at ease.
54:28This marks the fifth time that Medway have hosted the event,
54:31all starting with a coincidental meeting.
54:33This got started through one of our actual council officers here having a chance conversation
54:38with a local dance coordinator and it's just built from there.
54:43And this is, it's going from two days a week to now this festival's five days and it's so popular.
54:49It's really good for the local economy, but you need to go inside and have a look for yourself.
54:54The event runs from 6am until 1 in the morning,
54:57so even though the dancers are only on stage for a few minutes,
55:00some could be there for up to 19 hours, making it more of a marathon than a moonwalk.
55:05Finn McDermid for KMTV in Medway.
55:09And while we're on the subject of dancing,
55:11one Kent girl received a very special message from this season's Strictly Come Dancing star and model Ellie Goldstein.
55:17Superfan Beatrice, who like Ellie has Down syndrome, has been cheering on her idol.
55:22In between dance routines, Ellie had time to send through these heartwarming words of encouragement to Beatrice.
55:29Hi Beatrice, hope you join me on Strictly. Have fun. Bye.
55:34Right, if you want to watch this video.
55:37Yeah.
55:38Hi Beatrice, hope you join me on Strictly. Have fun. Bye.
55:52What do you think of that?
55:57Is that amazing or is that amazing?
56:01Is it going to get emotional?
56:02What do you think?
56:05It's amazing.
56:06It's amazing.
56:07It's amazing.
56:08That's the best present ever.
56:10Brilliant.
56:15Some really heartwarming stuff there.
56:16Hopefully Beatrice will treasure that video for many years to come.
56:20Well, you've been watching Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
56:23There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
56:27And don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest news from across your county
56:30by logging on to kmtv.co.uk.
56:33You can also keep us on your social timelines by liking us on Facebook and following our TikTok.
56:38But I'm afraid that's all the time we have for now.
56:41See you very soon.
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