- 21/05/2024
Catch up on all the latest news across your county with Sofia Akin.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kentonites live on KMTV.
00:27I'm Sophia Akin and here are your top stories on Tuesday the 21st of May.
00:33Think before you speed. Ramsgate Mum renews calls for speed calming measures as KMTV acquires
00:39new stats from Kent Police.
00:41Anything that we can do to try and stop somebody else from having to come here like this to
00:47visit someone they love.
00:49Ready for lift off. Developer clears final legal hurdle to reopening of Manston Airport.
00:55I'd like anybody who has concerns about the airfield to look forward and not back.
01:01From Kent to Kogokan we explore the differences between British and Japanese performance cultures.
01:07The more multicultural we become, the more multi-generational we become, the more important
01:12that ability to revisit, to reinterpret, to interrogate is.
01:26First tonight, a mum from Ramsgate is campaigning to change the speed limit on Dumpton Park
01:33Drive after her son died in a car accident there last year.
01:3818-year-old Ethan Entwistle was the second to have died on this road in recent years.
01:43Kent Police says it's cracking down on those not sticking to the rules of the roads.
01:48KMTV submitted a Freedom of Information request to find out which roads in Kent are seeing
01:53the most speeding tickets dashed out and bringing in the most revenue.
01:57A mum from Ramsgate wants speed calming measures introduced on Dumpton Park Drive after her
02:0418-year-old son Ethan died in a car accident.
02:08In October he was the passenger in a SEAT Ibiza when the driver collided with this tree.
02:14Ethan didn't make it and tragically died at the scene.
02:18Now his mum Keena has started a petition and has asked Kent County Council to lower
02:23the speed limit on this road from 30 to 20.
02:26Ethan's unfortunately was the second fatality in under 18 months along this road and the
02:33Dumpton Park Road Safety Group have already been wanting to get speed measures put on
02:39this road.
02:40Since Ethan's accident I've also joined with them to get speed calming measures along
02:49here and I'm also really in favour of the graduated driving licences which there's
02:56a petition going for that as well.
02:59Anything that we can do to try and stop somebody else from having to come here like this to
03:05visit someone they love.
03:07But sadly Ethan wasn't the first to die along this road.
03:11Back in 2022 a woman in her 50s was riding her bike a little further up the road when
03:16she was involved in a car accident.
03:19Ethan's mum hopes with this petition she can remind drivers of the rules of the roads
03:24and avoid any further fatalities.
03:27And Kent Police also cracking down on those speeding as thousands in the county continue
03:32to commit the offence year on year.
03:35In a Freedom of Information request, KMTV uncovered all the areas in Kent where the
03:39most speeding tickets were dished out by officers in the past five years, as well as the five
03:45cameras where the most money has been generated from speeding tickets in the same period.
03:50For last year, the M25 between Clackett Lane Services and Junction 5 generated the most
03:56money from tickets.
03:58More than 10,000 tickets were handed out here, bringing in £261,000.
04:04In third and fourth most revenue in Kent was the M25 Swanley, Chatham Road and the
04:10Dartford Tunnel, these three spots each bringing in more than £200,000 from tickets.
04:15Fifth most revenue was Hoth Way at more than £100,000.
04:20And looking at the same data from the previous years, you'll see every year for the past
04:25five years the Dartford Tunnel and M25 have been some of the spots bringing in the most
04:30revenue from tickets.
04:32First I'd like to point out that Kent Police don't profit or don't receive any money from
04:35the speeding penalties.
04:37The monies paid by the driver will go to His Majesty's Court Service.
04:42I don't know if technology has advanced to the point where we're catching more drivers.
04:46I think it's just Kent's roads are becoming increasingly busy and we are determined to
04:51send that safety message out.
04:53And it does, it's very disappointing but people are still continuing to speed.
04:58The roads you mention are particularly busy roads with higher volumes of traffic, hence
05:03the higher enforcement rate.
05:06The minimum penalty for speeding is £100 and three penalty points on your licence.
05:12Building up 12 or more points within three years could lose you your licence.
05:16Sophia Aitken for KMTV.
05:20Next tonight, Thanet Airport has cleared the final legal hurdle to reopening after fierce
05:24legal challenges.
05:26Riveroak Strategic Partners has been trying to redevelop Manston Airport since 2019 but
05:32residents have fought in the courts against the proposals.
05:35Now a final judgement in the Court of Appeal means that work can finally get underway.
05:40Oliver Leader de Sacs brought us the details earlier.
05:42So Ollie, why has there been such a delay in reopening Manston Airport?
05:46So Sophia, I'm sure you're aware that it's been closed for around 10 years, Manston Airport.
05:51It closed actually about a decade ago last week and it cost around 144 jobs in the area.
05:58So quite a significant economic impact this closure had.
06:02There's been attempts ever since then to get the airport reopened, to reintroduce passenger
06:07and freight planes back to the county.
06:11And today we heard the final chapter in the legal battles to get this airport reopened.
06:19Obviously there's been complaints from some campaigners that this airport doesn't have
06:25a real economic argument behind it, doesn't really have a good climate argument behind
06:29it either.
06:30But the Court of Appeal has once again rejected a bid to challenge the reopening of the airport.
06:35It rejected it back in December, not December, September, and it's rejected it once again.
06:41And now the developers hope to get development underway in about 18 months and it will take
06:46another year and a half after that to get it properly going.
06:49They hope they will open around 2027 to 2028.
06:53They can now get contracts underway, hire workers and get everything in place to get
06:58the airport up and running and reintroduce the infrastructure that no longer exists due
07:04to its closure for the last 10 years.
07:06So what's the reaction been to the judgement?
07:09Well Jenny Dawes, who is the person responsible, the claimant responsible for the legal challenges,
07:14has labelled it nonsensical, says there still isn't an argument for the airport to exist.
07:21And she said that we knew it was always going to be a tough fight.
07:24But the developers, RiverOak Strategic Partners, are happy with the decision.
07:29They're looking forward to getting back to getting contractors and getting everything
07:33underway.
07:34And another happy man is Sir Roger Gale, the Thanet North MP, who's been an avid campaigner
07:41for the site.
07:42He says it's going to be good for climate change in general.
07:45He says it's going to be a new opportunity for technology in the area.
07:50Let's take a listen to him now.
07:51I'd like anybody who has concerns about the airfield to look forward and not back, to
07:57look forward at a new generation of aircraft, to look forward at the way that we manage
08:02and handle freight in a completely new way, to make it as environmentally friendly as
08:08possible.
08:09All of the opportunities for their children and their grandchildren that are going to
08:12be created in aviation engineering, in freight handling, in airport related businesses, all
08:20of those opportunities will become available.
08:25Now the government has announced that the most urgent victims of the infected blood
08:28scandal will receive hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation starting this summer.
08:34Tim Ratton's father from Ashford was just one of 30,000 people who were infected with
08:38diseases from blood treatments in the 1970s and 80s.
08:42Speaking to us after the inquiry, he says compensation is long overdue.
08:47I do think that obviously, you know, people are going to get what they need, but I think
08:52us children are going to have to fight a little bit harder because, you know, we're at the
08:58end of the queue.
08:59But obviously, I'm just happy that the people obviously, you know, that are living, that
09:06they get paid out now, they can enjoy the rest of their lives, you know, whether it
09:09be five years, 10 years, because I've spoke to friends and, you know, my dad had cirrhosis
09:17and obviously he died and I watched his death and it was, it was horrible.
09:23Now school bus fares for students across Kent are set to go up by £100 for the next academic
09:28year.
09:29After a vote by county councillors, the travel saver card will now be £550, a 22% increase
09:37The rise is said to combat inflationary pressures that bus operators are facing, while our local
09:42Democracy Reporter, Gabriel Morris, joined us in the studio earlier.
09:45Gabriel, can you start off by explaining what a travel saver card is?
09:48Well, it's a bus pass to get children to and from school for people, students who are in
09:54secondary school and also actually sixth form as well.
09:56It's essentially a subsidy from Kent County Council, with parents paying two thirds of
10:00the bus fare and the county council picking up the last third.
10:04Why has KCC decided to raise this then?
10:06Well they say that the bus operators across Kent are upping their fares because of inflation.
10:12Now the rise is 22%, which is above the rate of inflation, but they still say it's good
10:18value for money.
10:20And as we are all too aware, there are only so many places we can reallocate funds from.
10:28So I say, I think all of us understand the additional burden this will put on families
10:34across the county, but despite that, I do still believe that the Kent travel saver does
10:41offer, compared to if it weren't there, a significant saving for the vast majority of
10:48those who will take it up to ensure that children across our county get to and from school,
10:55which is of course absolutely crucial, both for them as individuals, the county as a whole
10:59going forwards.
11:01Has there been much opposition to this?
11:03Well opposition groups at Kent County Council have opposed this.
11:07They say it's too much with the cost of living pressures.
11:09Kent County Council did remind them that there are cheaper options for students who are on
11:14free school meals.
11:15It's around about £120 and that has been frozen from the last rise as well.
11:20And there's also around about 500 students across Kent who actually get bus travel completely
11:24free.
11:25That's because of the situation they are in.
11:27It's worth noting that some councillors believe that there should be a transport for London
11:33style model where it's free for all students to get the bus.
11:38Also worth remembering that not every county council, Medway doesn't do this, provides
11:42subsidies for young people.
11:44Kent County Council is one of the only authorities which does still do this.
11:48It's time for a short break now.
11:49I'll see you in a few minutes.
14:54Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
15:19Now to sport and on the day Gareth Southgate announced his squad for the summer's Euros
15:24Gillingham have been busy announcing some of their squad for next year.
15:28With more on this and the rest of today's sports headlines here's Bartholomew Hall.
15:41Hello there we start with cricket where Matt Walker says there are positives to take away
15:46from his Kent side on their final day defeat to Somerset.
15:50The loss by eight wickets on Monday drops Kent to the bottom two of the county championship
15:55division one table.
15:56Matt Renshaw hit an unbeaten 82 for the Taunton hosts moving them into second place after
16:01Kent's Joe Denley led the fight setting them a 189 target for the win.
16:07The Kent head coach pointed to performances from Joe Denley and England international
16:11Zach Crawley after the match who achieved his highest ever score for Kent on day three
16:16at 238.
16:18Gillingham have announced goalkeeper Glenn Morris' contract has been extended by another
16:23year.
16:24Morris was the second choice keeper last season behind Jake Turner after the pair switched
16:28roles for the season.
16:29He played 14 matches last time out adding to his total of more than 250 appearances
16:35for the Medway club.
16:36The 40-year-old was one of two out of contract players made an offer to stay at Priestfield.
16:41New boss Mark Bonner is also hoping midfielder Dom Jeffries will extend his stay.
16:45It comes after professional contracts were handed out to three Gillingham youth players
16:48on Monday.
16:51Kent's title defence of the Bill Beaumont county championship division one crown has
16:54kicked off with a win away to Hampshire.
16:57The reigning champions led the contest from the ninth minute through to a 77th minute
17:01try from the hosts falling them just two points shy of taking the victory at 32-30.
17:07Director of Rugby Taff Williams says the quality of his side is what got them over the line.
17:12The win puts Kent second in pool two with a point difference behind Cornwall who Kent
17:16will face at home this Saturday.
17:19Kick-off at Broadwalk is at 2pm.
17:22And finally from me Sevenoaks disability golfer Kip Poppert has won the second golf for the
17:26disabled open at Woburn.
17:29The world number one overcame Ireland's Brendan Lawler finishing one over par after 54 holes.
17:35The Wildernese golf club member was overcome last year himself by Lawler in the inaugural
17:40championship.
17:41The win is a tenth golf for the disabled tour title for Poppert who has cerebral palsy
17:46after he won the US adaptive open last year.
17:49I was playing well coming into this week and then to be honest the last two rounds didn't
17:54really have my A game but I was pretty pleased to get the win and it was nice as I say Brendan
18:00and I have a good battle and we get on well so it was really good.
18:04That's it from me with the sport we'll have a brand new episode of Invicta Sport this
18:07Friday from 6pm.
18:11Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by
18:21logging onto our website kmtv.co.uk there you'll find all our reports including this
18:27one about a one of a kind secure school in Rochester focused on providing a therapeutic
18:33environment with opportunities for young offenders to improve their lives.
18:37No bars on the windows, no barbed wire in sight.
18:42The Oasis Restore Secure School in Rochester is the first of its kind and is designed to
18:47turn around the lives of some of Britain's most violent young offenders.
18:52Funded by the government and NHS England and run by the Oasis Trust, the facility is nearly
18:58ready to open after £48 million of renovations.
19:03You'll come here most of the time because you've been involved in violent crime, sometimes
19:08very violent crime.
19:10You'll often come here because you feel that you've never fitted in.
19:14It's called a secure school but actually the first thing it is is a home, a secure home.
19:21There are no cells here, there are student flats and bedrooms.
19:26There are no bars, there are windows, there are no keys janking and steel doors.
19:33It's set up and designed to be a therapeutic environment.
19:39With more than 200 staff and 20 teachers, the school will provide opportunities for
19:44dozens of young offenders to engage in vocational work.
19:48On the premises there are music studios, workshops and even a salon to help them develop the
19:53skills they need to leave their criminal past behind.
19:58Down the road sits Rochester's other more infamous young offenders institute, Cook & Wood,
20:03which has seen numerous reports highlight its lack of staffing and poor conditions.
20:07This here today, the secure school, is a very different model.
20:12Yes, it's right that those young people who've committed serious crimes are sentenced to
20:16custody and here they will be deprived of their liberty as part of the punishment but
20:21it's also important that the focus is on working with them.
20:24They've often been excluded permanently from school, they've got underlying mental health
20:29or substance misuse or other issues.
20:31It's important we work with them to tackle those, to get them back on the straight and
20:36narrow.
20:37Give them the opportunity when they're here, through what will be a rigorous regime of
20:40teaching and learning and vocational training, to make a positive life choice about the direction
20:46they want to go in when they come out.
20:48Those behind the secure school hope that a new chapter in youth justice will be starting
20:53in Kent very soon.
20:55Oliver, Leader of the Sats for KMTV in Rochester.
21:00Now a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued for Kent until just before
21:04midnight.
21:05The Kent Met Office has warned of potential sudden flooding, power cuts and lightning.
21:09Well, let's take a look at the full forecast.
21:17Rain tonight in areas like Tunbridge Wells and some wind expected in Folkestone and Dover,
21:23highs of 14.
21:24Tomorrow morning, staying cloudy with that rain sticking around.
21:28Some sunshine pushing through the clouds on the east coast.
21:3130 in the afternoon, staying rainy I'm afraid, although some sunshine peeking through the
21:36clouds.
21:37Highs of 18.
21:38Rest of the week goes from some rain on Thursday, some sunshine on Friday, highs of 20 on Saturday.
21:52And finally, we'll be airing the next brand new episode of the docu-series Kent Discovers
21:56tonight after the programme.
21:58Kent Discovers looks at the fascinating research happening across Kent, the UK and the world.
22:03In today's episode, we'll be comparing and contrasting Japanese and British performance
22:08culture.
22:09Here's the trailer.
22:21I think all of us felt as though we were at some point overcome with emotion.
22:31Seeing something like that feels so alien, but it's so fascinating.
22:40The more multicultural we become, the more multi-generational we become, the more important
22:45that ability to revisit, to reinterpret, to interrogate is.
22:49I've been exposed to a lot of different ideas and a lot of knowledge that I would have never
22:55encountered.
22:56By looking at my own culture from the different perspectives of the other cultures, I have
23:02gained a deeper understanding of my own culture.
23:10Well joining me now are two of the academics who worked on the project, Dr Rory Loughnan
23:15and Professor Catherine Richardson from the University of Kent.
23:18Thank you to both of you for joining us today.
23:21So I wanted to start with you, Rory.
23:22How was it to first of all visit Japan and what did it tell you about the nature of their
23:27performances?
23:28Oh, it was a wonderful experience.
23:31So Catherine and I were first invited to go to Japan in 2017 and we learned a little bit
23:39at that time about the performance culture, but after we received some funding to go back
23:46in just after Covid, we were able to experience it much more fully.
23:52We went to know performances and we also discovered a lot about religious ritual performances.
23:59And Catherine, what can you tell us about British performance culture?
24:05Well, what we were looking at for this project was particularly medieval and early modern
24:11performance culture and how they relate to religious practice.
24:15So we're really interested in the kind of mystery plays that were put on in English
24:19towns and then moving into commercial theatre with writers like Shakespeare and Marlowe
24:25and how that mapped onto or didn't the practices in Japan.
24:29So really interesting to be able to do those comparisons, thinking about audiences, thinking
24:34about performance styles and thinking about how they link to ritual.
24:38Rory, you and I spoke a few weeks ago actually on Kent Tonight about Christopher Marlowe.
24:42Is his work representative of British performance culture, would you say?
24:47Oh, I would think so.
24:49Marlowe's a hugely influential early modern dramatist.
24:52We can see the legacy of his works in Shakespeare's own writings and we know about the global
24:58influence of Shakespeare's work.
25:01So I think we can trace that back to Marlowe and to much earlier performance traditions
25:06as well.
25:07Catherine, what do you want people to take away from this documentary?
25:12I think just how important it is, how it helps you to think about your own culture,
25:17to visit a different culture and to think comparatively.
25:20I think we learned a huge amount about what's happening in the UK now as well as what has
25:25happened in the past in terms of performance through just making those comparisons and
25:30really understanding how culture fits in with different kinds of lifestyle, different kinds
25:37of national and international perspective.
25:41And Rory, just quickly as well, is there anything you've learned, I guess, from filming
25:45that perhaps you didn't know already when you were filming this documentary?
25:48Well, one of the kind of impetuses for the project was to compare Issei in Japan, which
25:54is a pilgrimage site, and Canterbury, which is obviously a pilgrimage site here, and to
25:58think about the performance culture that emerges around those sites of pilgrimage.
26:03So it was really interesting to think of tourist economy as well as serving a religious community
26:09and kind of interlocking parts of entertainment and religious custom.
26:15Well, thank you so much to both of you for joining us.
26:17I look forward to watching that straight after Kent tonight.
26:19Thank you.
26:21Thank you.
26:23Absolutely fascinating speaking to the pair of them before.
26:25As I said, you can catch that episode straight after the break.
26:29That's all from me for now.
26:30You've been watching Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
26:33Plenty more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
26:35We've got our 8pm Evening News bulletin with Bartholomew Hall, and you can always keep
26:40up to date on our website to kmtv.co.uk.
26:43Have a lovely evening and good night from me.
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