Noise map of Kent

click it to big itDear reader, those nice people at the CPRE have produced some maps that are both pretty and informative. They show the distribution of "Tranquility" across our fine nation, and come with an explanation of how the CPRE assess tranquility.

Looking at the map of Kent (click it to big it) the cities and towns are easy to spot, as is the M20 running through Ashford to Folkestone, and the roads radiating out from Canterbury.

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Manston Parkway Station

The proposed station is intended to link Kent International Airport (Manston) to the Southeastern High Speed rail service. Somehow. On the left is Southeastern Network's map of their routes (click it to big it).

The pale grey track that loops out from the existing Eutrostar route between Ebbsfleet and Ashford is the new high-speed rail link, taking in the Medway towns, the north Kent coast, Thanet and Canterbury. We are being promised shorter journey times from December 2009.

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Hypocrisy

Last week's pithy missive from Mrs. Earplugs to Paul Carter FC via his blog on the KCC website.  No reply yet. I expect he's busy.

You say you understand that Boris doesn't want a third runway at Heathrow and that you don't want an airport in the estuary. And then you say you want more use to be made of Manston. Of course, you live nowhere near it, so you will not be experiencing what we on the flight path will experience.

Also, you have demonstrated by your avoidance of the KIACC meetings how little attention you propose to pay to the views of those most affected by your dreams of seeing more flights at Manston. May I borrow the phrase you used of the Audit Commission and categorise this as "stunning hypocrisy" on your part?

In a nutshell: Noise

Dear reader, your ears are astonishing. They have a subtle sensitivity that is beyond the skills of modern science to duplicate. And they're kinda cute, too. Millions of years of selective honing has produced an exceptionally capable system: consider what an extraordinary and useful skill it is to be able to tell when a politician is lying to you, even with your eyes shut.

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Manston eco-village

Inventing the future

Grab a hefty chunk of the TDC Regeneration budget. This is the prize money. The competition: affordable, quick-build, long-life, green housing. The location: Manston's runway, 2.7km of high performance concrete and tarmac, ready-made foundations for just about anything.

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Anger as Kent leader stays away from Manston meeting

Paul Carter

Clipping: thisiskent

Paul Carter will be reported to KCC's standards committee after he pulled out of a meeting at Manston airport. The leader of Kent County Council Paul Carter could be reported to the authority’s watchdog on standards after failing to show at a meeting about Manston airport. Cllr Carter was due to attend Friday’s meeting of the Kent International Airport’s Consultative Committee but pulled out at the last minute and did not send a replacement.

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Paul Carter

How dare you

Carter pulled out at the last minute due to a 're-arranged family event'. However, a message from his personal assistant seemed a less than courteous way to do this.

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Voice of dissent

As you asked so nicely...

Here's a comment from Signatory 46 on the Petition Against Night Flights:

Why are you people always against any development at Manston. Do you really believe that there would be 103,800 flights a year! Perhaps you should get back to the real world...

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In a nutshell: airport manners

• The Draft Masterplan for KIA is indicative but insubstantial – it needs to be redrafted, and then put out to consultation properly.
• The Section 106 Agreement should reflect the needs of everyone affected by the operation of the airport, not just Infratil and TDC.
• There is absolutely no need or justification for night flights (other than emergency diversions).
• Flight paths should avoid population centres by overflying the sea, or sparsely populated land.
• If overflying towns is unavoidable, the planes could fly higher for longer, and then descend more steeply.
• These ‘people-friendly’ routes should be agreed and implemented before flight volumes increase.
• Infratil must demonstrate that the routes are being adhered to by recording and reporting what the planes actually do, by installing adequate noise and pollution monitoring equipment and ensuring it is used consistently.
• The readings from all the monitoring equipment must be recorded consistently, and the recorded readings must be published frequently and regularly (e.g. on-line).
• Failure to comply with the S106 agreement must be reported and fined. Any decisions not to fine must be explained.

In a nutshell: Manston

Manston a.k.a. Kent International Airport is an ex-RAF base in north-east Kent, just west of Ramsgate. It passed from the RAF to Wiggins, then PlaneStation, owners of EUJet (a budget passenger airline). EUJet went bust, and in August 2005 the administrators sold Manston to Infratil, a New Zealand-based multi-national infrastructure investor.

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Airport Working Party, 19 May 2009

Hours' worth of minutes

Dear reader, this is how some of us frittered our lives. There's plenty to pick over here, all comments welcome. I've added paragraph numbering for ease of reference and some comments (original version on TDC's website HERE). Council Officer in charge of the AWP: Charles Hungwe.

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Nightmare airport

Things could be worse

It is often said that there's always someone worse off than yourself, and sometimes it's worth tracking them down and having a good laugh, just to cheer yourself up.

Maho Beach on the island of St Marteen in the Caribbean Dutch Antilles has all the standard ingredients: sun, sand, sea, semi-naked people. However, it also has a rather special extra something - an airport nearby. Very nearby.

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Minster Parkway train station en route?

Clipping: thisiskent

PROPOSALS to turn Minster railway station into a commuter hub offering big parking capacity and links to Manston are in plans about to be put before county- council leaders. The authority is faced with the task of co-ordinating efforts to make improvements to take advantage of the introduction of high-speed services to the county in December.

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Think like an idiot

Dear reader, I know thinking like an idiot is not one of your natural strengths, but I thought it would be helpful for you to see the world through different eyes. Dull, unfocussed, short-sighted eyes that see only a small part of whole. When you have read the article at the link below, it will be much easier for you to understand the dafter comments on this and other blogs.

Oh, no! It's making well-reasoned arguments backed with facts! Run!

WriteToThem.com

Love letters straight from the heart

The nice people at Airport Watch have introduced me to a cracking little site called WriteToThem. Just bash in your post code, and you get instant email links to all your District and County Councillors, MP, and MEPs. This makes it a doddle to congratulate your elected representatives on the skill and wisdom of their approach to anything...

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Are night flights restricted?

An independent group set up to advise on the development of Manston airport has said no to more night flights. Kent International Airport Consultative Committee chairman Paul Twyman told a meeting of Thanet council’s airport working group that while there should be a balance of “economic and environmental interests”, he was against changing current night policy.

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Night flying fuels fresh Manston airport fight

Clipping: thisiskent

Agreements on night flights cannot be changed until the airport owners make a planning application. An independent group set up to advise on the development of Manston airport has said no to more night flights. Kent International Airport Consultative Committee chairman Paul Twyman told a meeting of Thanet council’s airport working group that while there should be a balance of “economic and environmental interests”, he was against changing current night policy.

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Manston is sellable

New Zealand sacrificial lamb steaks

The chief executive of Infratil has not ruled out selling stakes in Manston airport if a buyer can be found, according to a business website. Marko Bogoievski is quoted on www.stuff.co.nz in an article prompted by the New Zealand based company posting big business losses.

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Manston airport sale "not ruled out"

Clipping: thisiskent

THE chief executive of Infratil has not ruled out selling stakes in Manston airport if a buyer can be found, according to a business website. Marko Bogoievski is quoted on www.stuff.co.nz in an article prompted by the New Zealand based company posting big business losses. The website reports that analysts said Infratil's European airports, including Kent International Airport and Glasgow Prestwick, and energy developments were the most likely assets to go on the block.

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An airport's not the best route to regeneration

Regen Park

"Regeneration work in Thanet includes improving buildings and public spaces in our towns, development of business parks and working with community groups to help bring their ideas to fruition to improve the area. The emphasis in regeneration is on working in partnership with a wide range of organizations, so that together we can make Thanet a quality place to live, an attractive location for investment and an enjoyable area to visit."

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