On Monday this week I met with the Rail Minister Paul Maynard MP, and senior management from Network Rail and South Eastern trains, to discuss future investment for our region. The success of the High Speed rail link is clear for all to see, but one of the consequences of this is overcrowding. We need more rolling stock to provide longer trains and additional services. Currently all but two of the Javelin trains are in service on the network at any one time, so we simply need more of them. I told the Minister and South Eastern that we need to be planning for that investment now. Future housing development in the district may provide additional funds for new trains, with developer contributions to local infrastructure. We could also look for additional infrastructure funding through the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and the government’s local growth fund. These funds are often used for road improvements, but there is no reason why they cannot also support investment in our rail infrastructure.
At the weekend the coastline took a battering from Storm Angus providing local photographers the chance to take some dramatic photographs of the sea crashing against the harbour arm in Folkestone. However, I’d like to pay tribute to the crews of the Dover and Dungeness RNLI lifeboats, and the air sea rescue based at Lydd. In very challenging conditions they came to rescue of the 23-man crew of the Saga Sky cargo ship, after its hull was damaged off of the coast of Dover and the vessel started to take on water. Whilst with typical modesty our sea rescue crews will say that they are simply doing a job that they have been trained for, this shows once more how much we owe them all.
On Saturday I attended a moving event organised by the Shepway HEART forum to mark the centenary of the end of the Battle of the Somme. Poppies were placed around the ‘Folk Stones’ artwork on The Leas in Folkestone, created by the artist Mark Wallinger – who also joined us himself. This was an excellent way to remember the lives of the individual soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in that terrible battle.
Last Sunday, I was invited to give a talk at the Quarterhouse about my biography of Philip Sassoon, as part of the annual Folkestone Book Festival. The festival runs until Sunday this week, and a record number of advance tickets have been sold across all of the events. There are still spaces available and you can find out more about what’s on this weekend at their website www.folkestonebookfest.com .
On Tuesday this week I welcomed Cathy Koester and Matt Calais from the Romney Marsh Brewery to the House of Commons. Their Romney Amber Ale, which won the title of best beer in Kent at the recent Taste of Kent food and drink awards, will be on sale this week in the Strangers Bar of the House of Commons. I hope they win some new fans and customers for their beer.