Kent Tonight - Monday 29th July 2024
Catch up with all the latest news across your county with Abby Hook.
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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:29I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Monday the 29th of July.
00:35Driving us mad, Tunbridge residents say parking changes will kill the town.
00:40Going forward they've got to monitor the result very carefully and in short order to make
00:45sure some of these businesses don't suffer to an extent that they end up closing down.
00:50Kent in Paris will have everything you need to know as our GB athletes go for gold.
00:56I'm hoping the work we've put over the last two years will certainly go a long way to
01:00making that a gold.
01:02And from rowing in Paris to boating on the River Medway, Maidstone hosts its annual River
01:08Festival.
01:09It's great for us, it's great for other businesses in the area, especially with a year like this
01:14year where the weather hasn't been great.
01:16First tonight, damaging the night-time economy and putting shoppers off visiting Tunbridge.
01:30That's the warning locals have given to the council leader as changes to parking fees
01:35are set to come in next month.
01:37Up until now there were no charges on a Sunday or after 6pm in the town centre, but it will
01:42now cost locals £3.20 for an additional two hours, which has led residents to fear
01:48of the town's future.
01:50Our local democracy reporter Gabriel Morris has more.
01:53It's nearly night-time in Tunbridge and another evening nearly over.
01:57People are making their way back to their cars after indulging in a meal at a local
02:01restaurant or maybe just clocking off from work.
02:05Now this is one of Tunbridge's main car parks and there are only a handful of spaces free.
02:11But in a month's time, the car parking charges will be extended to 8pm from 6pm with an extra
02:18two hours of charges in the evening, but people will still be parking here.
02:22Parking fees will also come into force on Sunday.
02:25People will soon go to Bluewater and to come to Tunbridge because Bluewater has free parking.
02:31And at this public meeting ahead of the rise, residents believe that changes will kill the
02:36town.
02:37They've decimated Tunbridge Wells where they've increased their parking charges on a Sunday,
02:42Raynham in Kent, Sevenoaks, all these places charged for parking on a Sunday and look how
02:49it's made them ghost towns.
02:51This is what I fear is going to happen to Tunbridge.
02:54I won't use the car parks in the evening, I'll go to where there's a free car parking
02:58space like many other people do and the town will lose out.
03:03But regardless of ever how much anger there was at this three hour long meeting, they're
03:07proposals have now been voted on, so are set in stone.
03:11I think going forward they've got to monitor the result very carefully and in short order
03:16to make sure some of these businesses don't suffer to an extent that they end up closing
03:20down and going forward I think the council and the council leader has learnt that engagement
03:28with the residents needs to be a lot better than it has been.
03:32The council leader was apologetic about the increase in fees, but said the council had
03:36no other choice.
03:38We've also never hidden away from the fact that obviously this does bring in extra income
03:41for the council.
03:42I don't really want to pretend it doesn't do because it does and obviously that helps
03:47fund important services that residents expect as well.
03:50So I think it's only fair to be open and honest with residents across Tunbridge and Moorland
03:54about that, but at the same time I trust that they want a good, well run local council and
03:59also parking issues in the area to be addressed.
04:02So that's why we've made the changes that we're making.
04:05New fees and hours will be introduced from the 19th of August.
04:08The council leader doesn't believe this will be the death of Tunbridge, but locals at this
04:13meeting remain sceptical.
04:15Gabriel Morris in Tunbridge.
04:19Next tonight a woman has been charged with murder after a man was found dead in Strood.
04:23Police arrived at Gun Lane at around 12.30am last Friday when they discovered the body
04:28of 60-year-old Alan Tomkins in a block of flats.
04:3142-year-old Nina Mercer, known to the victim, was arrested around four hours later and charged
04:36with the murder.
04:37She's due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court tomorrow.
04:41Junior doctors across Kent in England have been offered a 20% pay rise over two years
04:45as part of efforts to resolve their pay dispute with the government.
04:49The deal includes a backdated pay rise of 4.05% as well as a further 6% topped up with
04:55a consolidated £1,000 payment for the next year on top of existing wage increases.
05:01The Prime Minister's official spokesperson said they cannot comment further on negotiation
05:04efforts but claims the government is committed to finding a solution and ending the strikes
05:09as ministers enter into formal negotiations with the BMA's junior doctors committee.
05:14You'll remember junior doctors were previously asking for 35%.
05:19Nominations have closed and here are the six Conservative party members putting their hat
05:23in the ring for leadership.
05:24Tunbridge MP Tom Tugendhat is one.
05:27Launching his campaign last week, the Kent MP has been vocal in recognising Tory failures
05:32and being honest with the public.
05:33He's facing Shadow Housing Secretary Kemi Badenoch, Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverley,
05:38former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel and
05:43Shadow Work and Pension Secretary Mel Stride.
05:46Rishi Sunak will officially step down on 2 November.
05:50Chancellor Rachel Reeves was reported to be considering a delay to a major project in
05:54Gravesend.
05:55The new proposed road, Lower Thames Crossing, was set to help with congestion and delays
05:59at the Dartford crossing and to better connect Kent with Essex.
06:02She announced earlier today the billions of pounds spending cuts as Labour claimed there's
06:07a black hole in public finances.
06:08Well, joining us now with more is Daisy Page.
06:11Daisy, what can you tell us about what we heard today?
06:14Yeah, so in Parliament today, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Labour government has inherited
06:20a projected overspend of £22 billion from the previous government.
06:24It was speculated that one of the cuts was going to be made to a major project in Gravesend.
06:29However, it was not mentioned in her speech today.
06:31The Lower Thames Crossing is a project aiming to connect Kent and Essex a bit better under
06:37the River Thames itself.
06:39It is estimated to cost £9 billion as well.
06:45But she did mention that two other major public transports have been axed today, which is
06:49the Stonehenge scheme and the Chichester Bypass.
06:53She also announced cuts to the Restoring Our Railway scheme.
06:56So far, the project has faced several setbacks.
06:59The government was set to consider this plan on the 20th of June, but it has been delayed
07:03until October the 4th.
07:06This development has the longest planning record as well.
07:09I find this quite interesting.
07:11So if you lay each paper down on the ground, it is actually 66 miles long.
07:16The project itself is only 14 miles long, so that gives you the length of this application.
07:21And that's a trip from Gravesend, where this project is going to be built, to Cambridge
07:26itself.
07:27So just to give the viewers at home the length of this application, it's quite lengthy.
07:33The project aims to help with congestion on the Dartford Crossing by taking 13 million
07:37vehicles away from it every year.
07:40On the Dartford Crossing, on the busiest day, it can be used up to 180,000 vehicles in a day.
07:47And it's not just about the road, it's also about, um, ah, walks as well!
07:54My brain left me then.
07:56But basically for every one mile they build, they're also going to be building three miles
08:00of pathways for cyclists, walkers and horse riders too.
08:04Very interesting, Daisy.
08:05Definitely a big issue for us here in the county, connecting us to Essex.
08:09Daisy, thank you for those details.
08:12Now next this evening, with more travel and connection news and concerns, but in the way
08:16of the water, businesses say they feel forced out of Gravesend and councillors are being
08:21urged to restore the Tilbury Ferry.
08:23You can take a look at that piece on our website, but let's take a look at that now.
08:28Months have passed since it last set sail, but the fight for the future of the Tilbury
08:33Ferry rages on.
08:36The service connecting Gravesend to Essex stopped operating earlier this year, as Kent
08:42County Council and Thurrock Council struggled to secure a new contract with the operator.
08:49Now the new Member of Parliament for Gravesend has written to the Secretary of State for
08:54Transport, calling on her to help pave a path forward.
08:59I think what we need to be doing in the future is about how we bring together businesses,
09:04other partners, other agencies that use the river, that work on the river, as well as
09:10councils, as well as other sectors.
09:13It's really about hooking into those other links so that we can all come together to
09:17find a solution, which is a return of the Tilbury Ferry.
09:20And this is a strong focus and I heard it loud and clear on the doorstep, this is what
09:24we need.
09:25Our businesses have suffered, our town centres have suffered.
09:27We really need this back to really take things forward.
09:30The Gravesend model centre has been on the high stream for six years, but with sales
09:36taking up to a 15% hit since the ferry's closure, they wonder how long they can roll
09:43the dice, given their tight margins.
09:46We have noticed a drop in sales, we've noticed a drop in the actual people, because obviously
09:52the sales are one thing, but you get to know your customers.
09:56And there's several customers who used to spend quite a lot of money who don't come
09:59over anymore, customers who just used to come in and buy one bit every now and again have
10:04not come over.
10:08If you look around the high street, the high street is really suffering.
10:11Zand and Mackenzie Care are another business who are thinking about relocating, with the
10:17ferry impacting their ability to recruit staff.
10:22They say footfall has massively changed since the ferry ceased operating in July.
10:30The whole point of us is that we're a community service.
10:32It's very difficult when the amount of community is minimalised because of the lack of traffic
10:37walking up and down.
10:38If it was still available, we'd have more people walking past, we'd be able to engage
10:43within the community a little bit more.
10:45We are actually looking to potentially move because of it, because again, being a community
10:51based business, it's very difficult when the community are unable to walk past your office.
10:58Both Thoracair and Cairn County Council say they have worked hard to try and secure an
11:03extension to the contract and are still trying to secure a sustainable long-term solution
11:11for the ferry.
11:12The Department of Transport has been reached for comment.
11:15The end of July will mark four months without the ferry.
11:19The question on the minds of businesses here, how much longer can they go on?
11:24Oliver, leading the sacks for KNTV in Gravesend.
11:29And you can find all our latest reports over on our website kntv.co.uk.
11:34But don't go anywhere, stick with us, just after this very short break we'll have more
11:38news from across the county, including the heat health alert that's in place for Kent
11:42as well as Bartholomew Hall.
11:43He'll be joining me in the studio to give us all the updates on the Olympics so far
11:48for our Team GB athletes.
11:49See you in a few minutes.
14:54Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
15:15Now a rather troubled week for weather today as we head into another yellow heat health
15:20alert in force.
15:21It's expected to last until 11pm on Wednesday with high temperatures in the coming days
15:27as well as a yellow thunderstorm warning for Thursday from midday to midnight for all of
15:32Kent.
15:33Well here's Helen Schwartz, Deputy Director of Public Health for Kent, explaining the
15:37risks of extended heat.
15:39The UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office have actually put out this yellow warning
15:46which means that at the temperatures that we're expecting, vulnerable people can be
15:51developing health problems.
15:52And what happens when temperatures are that high is that the body has to work so much
15:58harder to cool down and individuals at the extreme ends of life, very young babies and
16:04older people, for them it's much more difficult to regulate temperature and also people with
16:10underlying health conditions.
16:11Well let's take a look at some of those numbers, here's the full forecast.
16:23Quite calm and clear this evening, lows of 17, highs of 18 overnight.
16:28Tomorrow morning sunshine across Kent, not a cloud in the sky, highs of 24 across most
16:33parts, 22 down in Dover.
16:35By the afternoon warming up to 27 in Dartford, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells there, lows
16:40of 24.
16:42And here's your outlook for Kent, Wednesday a bit of rain, Thursday those thunderstorms
16:46in place, Friday sunshine again.
16:58Now onto sports, with the greatest show on earth in full swing over in Paris, Kent's
17:03Olympic representatives have already been out on their quest to grab some medals.
17:08And there's plenty to celebrate too, following today's first Team GB gold medal grabs of
17:14the year by Laura Collette in eventing and Tom Pidcock in rescuing his mountain bike
17:19race after a puncture, it's been an exciting few days.
17:22Well here to break it all down is of course our sports reporter Bartholomew Hall.
17:27It's really hard not to be distracted when you're in the newsroom, and it's a good distraction.
17:31It is, we've obviously got the TV's on the wall so we can stay in touch with all the
17:34latest news.
17:35But during the Olympic season, we switch it over to the Olympics because, and this is
17:38the thing I love about the Olympics, the moment the opening ceremony happens, the next day
17:42you wake up and suddenly you're watching Judo, you're watching Taekwondo, you're watching
17:45these sports that you usually wouldn't see day to day, and that's the fun about the Olympics.
17:50And of course we've got so many athletes out there, not just representing Team GB, but
17:54Kent as well.
17:55In the studio here we've got a picture of Eva Acaro, the first black female to represent
18:00Team GB in swimming, done amazingly for us in her first race.
18:05And yeah, I mean, there's a few of the athletes as well that we've been speaking on the build
18:11up to the Olympics as well, so Emily Craig, the rower who's been storming over the first
18:16weekend.
18:17Erin McNeice, who you spoke to from Sittingbourne, set to make her debut at the Games with sport
18:24climbing.
18:25So doing really well for themselves.
18:27Let's take a look back at some of the highlights from the weekend.
18:30Starting off, Pembrey's Emily Craig is arguably Kent's best shot at a gold medal this year.
18:35Alongside her rowing partner Imogen Grant, she's unbeaten in all competitions she's taken
18:40part in since Tokyo 2020.
18:43That's 11 in total.
18:45This year's Games, as she's told KMTV, is her chance to turn around what was a heartbreaking
18:49time in Japan.
18:50I'm hoping the work we've put in over the last two years will certainly go a long way
18:55to making that a gold.
18:57We've got much more time in the boat together, much more experience.
19:01I think both of us are very different people and very different athletes to the two women
19:06that lined up on that start line in Tokyo 2021.
19:10At the opening weekend, Craig and Grant delivered a dominant first round performance, winning
19:14their heat by a margin of four seconds.
19:17With a chance for storms ahead now as they head towards the semi-finals this week, Grant
19:21says she's confident to wade through any conditions.
19:25From rowing to swimming now, seven-oak swimmer Ava Akaro made history when she was announced
19:30as the first black female to represent Team GB in the pool at an Olympic Games.
19:35The 17-year-old, who took part in the 4x100m freestyle relay alongside Anna Hopkin, Lucy
19:41Hope and Freya Anderson, swam the second leg, producing a split of 54.75 seconds.
19:48Ultimately it was Australia who dominated the event, clinching yet another gold, with
19:52USA and China taking the silver and bronze respectively.
19:56Akaro's GB squad finished seventh.
19:59Looking back on the event, Akaro said it was a mind-blowing experience to be competing
20:02at her first at Games, but that she was honoured to be part of Team GB.
20:06Into the Bursary arena now, as we have another Olympic debut by the name of Grape's End's
20:11Georgia May Fenton, whose stock has been skyrocketing on the world stage at recent.
20:16She helped Team GB qualify for the artistic gymnastics final, but it wasn't easy.
20:20With a number of struggles on the apparatus, including Fenton's own uncharacteristic wobbles,
20:25Team GB were on the back foot.
20:27It wasn't until Becky Downey's performance on the bars was confirmed individually in
20:31sixth place that GB Women officially made it through, before celebrating with this widely
20:37applauded dance.
20:40The US qualified top for the team final, with a number of A-list celebs in the arena to
20:44watch Simone Biles on her Olympic return.
20:47Italy were second and China third.
20:50Meanwhile Great Britain's men came from behind twice to secure a draw against South Africa
20:54in the hockey.
20:55Medway's Holkham Hockey Club goalkeeper Olly Payne was replaced by Jack Waller with just
20:59a few minutes to go.
21:00After narrowly missing out at the last Games, Team GB's men's hockey squad are looking for
21:04what would be their first medal since 1988.
21:08So from the tribulations of sport climbing to the fiercities of judo, there'll be much
21:13more for us to look back on as the Olympics continue, with plenty more from Kent's GB
21:17representatives on the way.
21:48KMTV did manage to take home a few awards, so we're very proud of them.
21:51If you'll follow us on X, you'll have seen all of those awards and highly commended that
21:55we were retweeting throughout the night from our Deputy Channel Director Viv, taking one
22:00in the Making It Happen category, to our Graphics Designer, Rodri, who won Designer of the Year,
22:07and of course a big special mention to yourself, Abby, who took home New Journalist of the
22:11Year and highly commended in the Presenter category.
22:15So clearly I'm in very good company.
22:17How did it feel, Abby?
22:20I was very shocked, very, very shocked.
22:22There's a video of, that you guys took when the awards were announced, always risky in
22:26case you don't get it, but it was, I'm still shocked, still not over it, but it was an
22:31amazing day and a really great day to celebrate the whole of the KM group, but also all the
22:35wonderful journalists we have here in the county.
22:37Absolutely.
22:38Bartholomew, thank you very much.
22:39More Olympics to come throughout the week as well.
22:42And finally this evening, Maidstone has celebrated its biggest event of the year, the annual
22:47River Festival.
22:48The celebration saw more than 85 boats of all shapes, sizes and decorations sailing
22:52in to the riverbank, as well as a special memorial service to commemorate the 80th anniversary
22:58of the D-Day landings that took place earlier this year.
23:00Well, Henry Luck was at the event.
23:03Sunshine, an open river and dozens of boats, everything Maidstone's yearly River Festival
23:10offers, kicking off with prominent members of Maidstone Borough Council arriving on the
23:17riverbank aboard the Kentish Lady.
23:20It welcomes sailors, local businesses and the public to celebrate a day of fun on the
23:26River Medway, which flows for 70 miles across Kent.
23:31The River Medway also has great historic importance.
23:35For example, it served as a battleground for the Battle of Medway during the Roman invasion.
23:42The biggest event in Maidstone every year is put on by local people for local people.
23:46It doesn't cost the people of Maidstone anything.
23:49The council don't actually contribute a large amount of money to it, so it's mainly run
23:55by private businesses and private individuals who think it's the best thing that ever happens
24:00in Maidstone.
24:01People can come from wherever.
24:02It's a great way for the town to celebrate the best of Maidstone, and it's good for anyone,
24:09whatever age you are, and honestly the boats on the river look absolutely fantastic.
24:14They've got funding on them and everyone's having a really lovely time.
24:17For local businesses such as the Kentish Lady, the event provided a much-needed boom for
24:22their profits.
24:23It's great for us, it's great for other businesses in the area, especially with a year like this
24:29year where the weather hasn't been great, so the river hasn't been quite the draw that
24:32it normally would be.
24:33But a day like today is fantastic and it brings a lot of well-needed activity to the river.
24:40Hundreds gathered to watch the raft race, where participants raced to see who had the
24:45best homemade boat.
24:48I was lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with the winners.
24:51It's been exceptional.
24:52Last year it didn't go very well, not according to plan, this year new design, and we're glad
24:59to win.
25:00We're here to win it.
25:01We nailed it.
25:02This year's celebration, however, had a moment of reflection as the town commemorated the
25:0880th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which happened earlier this year.
25:13We have come together to remember all those who have died in war, and for all who still
25:19suffer today as a result of conflict.
25:24We remember their families, their comrades, and their friends.
25:29Money raised from the event will be going towards the heart of Kent Hospice, where they'll
25:34be looking to build a new state-of-the-art facility in the town.
25:38Henry Luck, for KMTV, in Maidstone.
25:42Now, a quick story before we go.
25:45Rodney the Peacock, known to roam around Vigo near Gravesend, has been rescued after reports
25:50of him being found unwell.
25:52The bird was well-loved by the community and a custom site for the people of Vigo, but
25:57after several residents voiced concerns of his health, the voluntary rescue team stepped
26:01in to rescue him from this driveway.
26:03Rodney was taken to be examined by vets, where they found his feathers malformed but
26:08still able to grow.
26:10He was sent to an animal sanctuary for continuous care and recovery.
26:14Well, all best wishes go to Rodney the Peacock.
26:18Well, you've been watching Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
26:22There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening, and stick around for more Olympics
26:25news as well.
26:27Straight after the break, we'll have a brand new episode of Invicta Sport with Bartholomew,
26:30as always, on a Monday.
26:32And also, you can keep up to date with all the latest news across your county over on
26:36our website.
26:37That's kmtv.co.uk.
26:38But I'll be handing over to Bartholomew now for a brand new episode of Invicta Sport.
26:43Stick around.