Stop Kent International Gateway (KIG) - Welcome to StopKIG.org

Howbury Park Freight Interchange at Slade Green, near Dartford is approved

Planning consent was granted just before Christmas for a large rail freight interchange at Slade Green, Bexley after a Planning Inquiry.

STOP KIG supports the ambition of Government Policy to use rail for transporting freight. However, the interchanges must be built at sites which do not create unacceptable costs to the environment and to peoples’ lives. STOP KIG considers the proposal by KIG to build an interchange between Bearsted and Hollingbourne demands too great a sacrifice. It considers the Slade Green site to be more suitable because:-

Cross Channel freight will stay on trains through Kent thus reducing lorry traffic on M20 – UNLIKE KIG which will increase lorry flows along M20.

It is ideally located to serve South East London and Kent and has the support of the Greater London Authority and Kent County Council as strategic authorities.

It complies with Government Policy which is to have 4 rail freight interchanges around London which are close to the M25.

It is well situated to benefit from the large labour supply in London and North Kent. Whereas KIG would have to import nearly half the labour from outside Kent.

The Slade Green rail freight interchange has been designed for around 12/13 cross channel freight trains per day – the same as KIG. There is therefore no need for KIG now that a much better located scheme has been permitted by the Government at Slade Green. It remains to be seen whether the AXA Group, which is backing KIG, will now defer to the legitimate wishes of the people of Kent and withdraw its planning application.

Planning Decision Delay

It has been confirmed by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) that the decision date for the KIG application has been put back. This is because MBC are waiting for additional information from KIG, requested in December 2007 and also because the Highways Agency (HA) has put an Article 14 Direction in place which means until the information that the HA require is made available by AXA/ KIG to MBC a Planning Decision may not be taken by MBC.

This is similar to what happened with both the Maidstone Studios application and the Eclipse Park development, both of which were subsequently approved so although it may give more time, it does not mean that KIG is ‘on hold’ or has gone away!

Maidstone BC is unable at present to say when the new date will be.

Map for Kent International Gateway Site

Click here to view full size document. The file is 3.65Mb so may take 30 seconds to download even on broadband

For reference, the left-hand end of the development ends at Thurnham Lane, and the right-hand ends at the roundabout on the A20 for J8 M20! For an aerial photo of the proposed site click here

Boycott AXA - AXA is KIG

AXA Real Estate Investment Management are the driving force behind the KIG proposal and they are part of the AXA group, which includes AXA Insurance, PPP Healthcare and Sun Life.

In effect, this means we are funding the AXA proposal with our insurance policies, investments etc.

The KIG proposal is all about making money for AXA and its clients.

BOYCOTT AXA – DON’T FUND KIG!

Tell them you don’t want to benefit from profits made from the destruction of the environment.

When getting any insurance quotes, refuse any AXA policies and tell them/your broker why!

Write to AXA Group and its companies (click here for contact details**) and inform them that you will not be using their services while AXA REIM insist on pursuing this proposal, and you will also be advising friends and family to do the same.

Ask for an acknowledgement of your letter so they can’t ignore it!

Check who the insurance company belongs to – DENPLAN (dental healthcare plan used by many dental practices is an AXA company!

It may not be possible or practical to cancel existing policies or investments but as AXA are driven by the requirement to make money, we say DON’T GIVE THEM OURS