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Wrotham Parish Council

Council Information

Public Notices

Kent Bus Service Changes Bulletin – September, October, November & December 2025

Bus services in the UK operate in a de-regulated (privatised) environment outside of the control of KCC who do not license or contract operators or their services. Bus operators are able to change or cancel or any service by giving 70 days notice to the Department for Transport. Operators will make decisions on what services to run, their routes and their frequencies based on commercial and operational considerations notably that the use of the service will cover the costs of operation. The bus industry in the UK is facing a very challenging period of increasing fuel and driver costs, reduced levels of use and a shortage of drivers and this is leading to high volumes of  service reductions and cancellations. Although operators can make these changes without the permission of KCC who cannot therefore resist them and cannot commit to securing replacement services, the Council are keen to ensure that bus users and other stakeholders are aware of pending changes.

This attached document summary below identifies any change to a bus service that has been registered by an operator to take place in September, October, November & December 2025. It includes all changes from minor timetable changes to whole service cancellations.  

 

Toyota Hilux Thefts

Police Forces across the country have seen a rise in thefts of Toyota Hilux vehicles which has also affected parts of Kent. If you own a vehicle and feel you could improve it’s security, please consider the following.

  1. Always lock it

Fuelling up or popping back into your house to get something are perfect examples of how easy it is to turn your back for a moment and forget your vehicle is unsecured. So get into the habit of locking your vehicle even if you’re only going to be away from it for a moment.

  1. Close windows and the sun roof to prevent ‘fishing’

Leaving windows and the sunroof open invites fishing for items through the gap by hand or with, say, a bent coat hanger, which could also be used to unlock a door for them to get in.

  1. Secure your number plates with tamper-resistant screws

The easiest way to change the identity of a stolen vehicle or avoid speeding tickets and parking tickets is to fit stolen number plates. Using security screws to attach your vehicle’s number plates makes it harder for thieves to get your number.

  1. Fit locking, anti-tamper wheel nuts to secure alloy wheels

Stolen wheels are valuable, either as parts or for their scrap value. Using locking wheel nuts reduces the risk of your vehicle’s wheels being stolen.

  1. Secure anything that’s on the outside of your vehicle

Anything left on roof-racks, tailgate racks, holiday top boxes or in tool chests are easily stolen when the vehicle is parked. The use of cable locks, padlocks and self-locking tools chests, which are secured to the vehicle, makes them more secure, but still, don’t leave things in them if you can avoid it.

 

Road Safety & Active Travel Group Spring Newsletters

Downloads at bottom of page.

 

Tracking your Property, PC McElligott, 13th June 2025

Officers were able to locate property that was stolen during a recent burglary by utilising a tracker that the owner has strategically placed within, allowed us to find and return their possession. The discovery was made when the owner of the property which was an expensive set of golf clubs on this occasion, guided officers in whilst tracking them on his mobile phone.

Here’s a breakdown of why trackers are so popular and valuable:

  1. Finding Lost Items
  • Track your essentials such as keys, wallets, bags, or even slip them into luggage. If you misplace something, the tracker helps you locate it quickly.
  • Using a Phone App: Both AirTag and Tile have companion apps that show the last known location of the item on a map.
  1. Preventing Loss
  • Separation Alerts: Some models (like Tile Pro or Apple AirTag with certain iOS settings) notify you if you leave an item behind, like your backpack at a coffee shop.
  1. Community Finding Networks
  • Apple AirTag: Uses the massive Find My network of Apple devices around the world. If someone else’s iPhone is near your AirTag, it can update its location anonymously and securely.
  • Tile Network: Works similarly, but with a smaller network unless you’re in a densely populated area.
  1. Travel Convenience
  • Luggage Tracking: You can check if your bag made it onto the plane or is stuck at the airport.
  • Peace of Mind: Especially useful in crowded places or during international travel.
  1. Pet and Kid Safety (With Caveats)
  • Pets: Attach to a pet’s collar to help find them if they wander off.
  • Kids: Some parents use them to keep tabs on young children in public spaces (though they’re not substitutes for GPS trackers with real-time updates).
  1. Anti-Theft Use
  • You can hide a tracker in valuable items (like bikes or cars) to help recover them if stolen.

I encourage residents to consider placing trackers in belongings such as wallets, vehicles and other high value items.

 

News from your MP, Tom Tugendhat, Newsletter 29th May 2025

The consequences of the educational administration of Hadlow College in 2019 continue to play out across our community. While I am delighted that Hadlow College is thriving and North Kent College in Tonbridge is providing great further education opportunities, we know many questions still remain.

That’s why I held a debate in Parliament exploring some of the issues associated with its demise at the time, so the Government can learn for the future. It is essential that our lessons here in West Kent are reflected across the country so no community has to go through what we did at the time.

This is an essential part of my role as our voice in Westminster, one I take seriously. As ever, I continue to work on a number of different campaigns, and below are just a handful of them. Please do be in touch if I can help you or your family with a specific issue.

My phone number is 01732 441563 or you can e-mail me on tom.tugendhat.mp@parliament.uk. Please do be in touch.

 

Road Surface Improvement (Resurfacing), A227 Gravesend Road, Wrotham, KCC

This is to let you know that, as part of the on-going maintenance and improvement of the highway network, Kent County Council will soon be resurfacing the A227 Gravesend Road between the A20 London Road and Harvel Road.
These road surface improvement works are programmed to start on Wednesday 16th April and should take 12 nights to complete. Works are planned to take place on weeknights only with no working planned on Saturday or Sunday nights. In addition, we will not be working the nights of bank holidays within this date range: Friday 18th April, Monday 21st April, Monday 5th May. It is possible this could change as the scheme progresses should any inclement weather conditions or unforeseen situations impact our progress. These activities will be undertaken between the hours of 20:00 – 05:00. Outside of these hours, the road will remain open for traffic.
During these essential works it will be necessary to close the A227 completely between the junctions of A20 London Road and Harvel Road so that we can carry out the works safely for both the workforce and road users.
In addition, some adjoining side roads will be closed as per the following:
• Pilgrims Way closed between the A20 and Nepicar Lane with temporary traffic signals erected at the A20/A227 roundabout whilst resurfacing of the roundabout is ongoing.
• Fairseat Lane closed between A227 and Wrotham Hill Road.
• Vigo Road closed between A227 and Platt House Lane.
• Vigo Hill closed between A227 and Pilgrims Way.
The diversion route will be via:
• A227 (Gravesend Rd, Wrotham Rd), B260 (Longfield Rd, Main Rd, Green St Green Rd), A225 (Princes Rd, Lowfield St, Hawley Rd, Main Rd, Dartford Rd), A20 London Road and vice versa.
• Minor diversions for the adjoining, closed roads will be in place where necessary.

If you need more information, you can visit our website www.kent.gov.uk/resurfacingupdates to view our programme & updates

 

New Consolidation Order in Tonbridge and Malling, KCC’s Traffic Management Team, 4th April 2025

We would like to inform you of a Made Order to consolidate all waiting restrictions in Tonbridge and Malling. 

To find out more please visit: Various Roads, Tonbridge and Malling – Waiting Restrictions Consolidation Order

If you wish to challenge the validity of the order, you may apply to the High Court by 19 May 2025.

 

Kent Police Museum

The Kent Police Museum is opening to the public from Thursday the 10th April 2025.

Opening hours are Thurs-Sat, 10am-4pm.

Location: Faversham Police Station, Church Rd, Faversham ME13 8AL

Group visits are available throughout the year on Mon-Weds and can be booked by clicking the email address museum@kent.police.uk.

 

Adoption of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39, KCC, 3rd April 2025

Kent County Council adopted the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 at is meeting on the 13th March 2025.

The Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39, and associated documents including the Sustainability Appraisal (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Post Adoption Statement are available to view on the County Council’s webpage via the following link: https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/service-specific-policies/economic-regeneration-and-planning-policies/planning-policies/minerals-and-waste-planning-policy/kent-minerals-and-waste-local-plan-2024-to-2039

 

News from your MP, Tom Tugendhat, Newsletter 3rd April 2025

Over the past few weeks I and a team of volunteers have been busy delivering my 2025 Residents’ Survey to as many households as possible. Getting around every house in our community is difficult, so I have created an online version which you are welcome to fill in here.

Please do share your thoughts with me and ask your friends to as well. To do my best for you, I need to know your views and what matters to you. That way I can represent you effectively in Parliament and serve you better.

This month has been busy, and we’ve seen yet another water outage – this time affecting many of our villages. I’m meeting South East Water tomorrow to hear more about how they’re preventing this happening again. Do be in touch if you were affected and would like to know the outcome.

As ever, this newsletter is just a snapshot of what I am working to do on your behalf. Please do be in touch if I can help you or your family with a specific issue.

My phone number is 01732 441563 or you can e-mail me on tom.tugendhat.mp@parliament.uk. Please do be in touch.

 

National Emergency Area Retrofit Programme Newsletter, Highways South East, 2nd April 2025

In case you missed it, we’ve produced our final newsletter to update you on our National Emergency Area Retrofit programme. This newsletter includes photos and updates to show our progress on the National Emergency Retrofit programme, and a snapshot of our work to support local communities. https://sway.cloud.microsoft/SbbDs4dhZyo0E9Yb?ref=email

 

PCC launches new Police & Crime Plan

The PCC, Matthew Scott has launched the new Police & Crime Plan for Kent called Cut Crime, Support Victims, Build Trust. He wants this to be the focus for Kent Police for the next four years. It is divided into four priorities – Protecting People, Protecting Places, Protecting Properties and Productive Partnerships. For more information go to our website – Cut Crime, Support Victims, Build Trust.

 

Road Maintenance in Your Area, Road Surface Improvement (Resurfacing), KCC

A227 Gravesend Road, Wrotham. This is to let you know that, as part of the on-going maintenance and improvement of the highway network, Kent County Council will soon be resurfacing the A227 Gravesend Road between the A20 London Road and Harvel Road.

These road surface improvement works are programmed to start on Wednesday 16th April and should take 12 nights to complete. Works are planned to take place on weeknights only with no working planned on Saturday or Sunday nights. In addition, we will not be working the nights of bank holidays within this date range: Friday 18th April, Monday 21st April, Monday 5th May. It is possible this could change as the scheme progresses should any inclement weather conditions or unforeseen situations impact our progress. These activities will be undertaken between the hours of 20:00 – 05:00. Outside of these hours, the road will remain open for traffic.
During these essential works it will be necessary to close the A227 completely between the junctions of A20 London Road and Harvel Road so that we can carry out the works safely for both the workforce and road users. In addition, some adjoining side roads will be closed as per the following:
• Pilgrims Way closed between the A20 and Nepicar Lane with temporary traffic signals erected at the A20/A227 roundabout whilst resurfacing of the roundabout is ongoing.
• Fairseat Lane closed between A227 and Wrotham Hill Road.
• Vigo Road closed between A227 and Platt House Lane.
• Vigo Hill closed between A227 and Pilgrims Way.

The diversion route will be via:
• A227 (Gravesend Rd, Wrotham Rd), B260 (Longfield Rd, Main Rd, Green St Green Rd), A225 (Princes Rd, Lowfield St, Hawley Rd, Main Rd, Dartford Rd), A20 London Road and vice versa.
• Minor diversions for the adjoining, closed roads will be in place where necessary.

For our workers, and for your own safety, if you are seeking access within the closure, please await direction from our on-site operatives. When entering the work site or whilst being escorted, please also maintain a speed limit of 10mph to ensure your own safety and the safety of the site operatives. Furthermore, if emergency services require access to premises within our road closure, we will provide this access as a matter of urgency.
We will remove the existing road surface by a method known as milling. The complete area will then be swept by a mechanical sweeper to ensure the prepared surface is clean and free of dust and debris. If required, the existing manhole covers, and rain water gully gratings will be adjusted or replaced to the correct level before the new surface is laid. Due to the nature of this type of work, it is inevitable that a varying but significant level of noise will be emitted. The noise will be most pronounced during the preparation stage of the nightly works, with the old road surface being removed, mechanically swept and drains or inspection covers adjusted or replaced if necessary. There will continue to be noise whilst the new surface is laid but this is generally more mobile and therefore intermittent. We do sympathise with and apologise for any disruption or inconvenience the level of noise may cause.

28th March, Kent Trading Standards

Recent research showed two out of three older people were targeted by scammers in the past year, leaving many frightened, depressed and some even suicidal. It found that one fifth experienced weekly fraud attempts and 40% faced monthly scams, mostly via phone calls and texts. About 80% of participants lived alone.

Let’s make sure we look after our friends and neighbours. Tell them about the scams and fraud in this email. Keep them safe.

And don’t forget to show them How to say no to doorstep crime – Kent County Council, and get a FREE No Cold Callers sticker Kent County Council Public Protection

 

27th March, Southern Water

Southern Water – Temporary Road Closure – High Street, Wrotham – 24th April 2025 (Tonbridge and Malling District)

Due to works planned to be undertaken by Southern Water, it will be necessary to close part of High Street, Wrotham, from 24th April 2025 with estimated completion by 25th April 2025.

High Street, Wrotham, will be closed outside The Old Vicarage, between the hours of 19:00 and 06:00 only. To the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for any through traffic is via High Street, Bull Lane, A20 London Road, A227 Wrotham Bypass, Borough Green Road and vice versa.

Pedestrian access will be maintained during the works.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce to allow frame and cover replacement works to be carried out, works are undertaken by Southern Water.

For the most up to date information on these works please visit: https://one.network/?tm=141877271

For information regarding this closure please contact Southern Water on 03303 030 368, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.

The Kent County Council Highways Helpline phone number is: 03000 418181

 

12th March, Kent Police

Local officers from the Community Safety Unit regularly carry out patrols around Tonbridge and Malling. On this occasion, a Ford Transit was stopped and seized in Wrotham due to its Tax and MOT being out of date by almost a year! The purpose of an MOT is to ensure that the vehicle meets the minimum safety level required by law and this vehicle was therefore a danger to road users. This vehicle was seized immediately and the DVLA have been notified.

If you know of any vehicles that are being used on our roads that do not have the correct documentation in place, please report this to Kent Police by calling 101 or report on the Kent Police Website.

 

11th March 25, Highways South East

I am writing to update you on the delivery of National Highways commitment to add more emergency areas to the M20 between junctions 3 and 5, M3 between junctions 2 and 4a, M4 between junctions 10 and 12, M25 between junctions 23 and 27 and the M25 between junctions 5 and 7. These projects form part of our commitment to add more than 150 extra emergency areas across the network in line with our response to the Transport Select Committee. Further detail of this can be found on our website at National emergency area retrofit – National Highways. Since April 2024, we have been working hard to build these new emergency areas. Work on all five motorways has now progressed to a point where we are able to begin removing the temporary traffic management from this section.

The traffic management removal will be undertaken overnight and the schedule for this is set out beneath.

Overnight the M20 will be closed:

 Overnight the M3 will be closed:

 Overnight the M4 will be closed:

Once traffic management has been removed from these sections of motorway, carriageways will return to four running lanes and the temporary speed limits will be lifted, and all the new emergency areas will be open and available to use in the event of the emergency.

Overnight the M25 will be closed:

Overnight the M25 will be closed:

Once the traffic management has been removed from the M25, we will be carrying out the testing of upgraded Stopped Vehicle Detection technology that has been installed at the same time as the emergency area work.

The testing phase requires an ongoing 50mph speed restriction to be in place for a short period of time, together with some further overnight closures.  We will provide details when the dates are confirmed.

As the testing work will not be visible from the roadside, roads users may question why reduced speed restrictions will be maintained. Testing will mean that all new technology installed can be adjusted to suit its context and environment. This can only take place where there are no roadworks and when drivers are able to use all lanes of the motorway.  There will however be signs for drivers at the roadside and overhead that speed limits are in place whilst technology is under test.

Dedicated monitoring of temporary CCTV and free recovery will remain in place. Once the system has completed the test phase, the speed will be increased to the national speed limit, subject to variable mandatory speed limits as required.

We recognise that this may be frustrating, but we would like to reassure you that we will remove the temporary speed limits as soon as testing is complete.

Find out more about driving on motorways, including what to do in an emergency.

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