Here’s a round up of some of the other stories making the news in and around Rye this week.
Another burst water main
Around a thousand homes and businesses in Rye are either without water or with low pressure after a water main burst on Thursday November 30th. Southern Water say they've located the problem to a pipe at the Monk Bretton Bridge on the A259, affecting services in the TN31 7 postcode area around Rye, Camber and East Guldeford. As of Thursday lunchtime the company says it is "continuing to work on the complex repair."
Water tankers are in place and Southern Water says it will be delivering bottled water to customers on its priority services register . The current problems come less than two months after another burst main, this time near the railway line, led to thousands more homes and businesses without water, some for many days.
Fast trains needed
Hastings and Rye MP Sally-Ann Hart is calling for the return of fast trains to London from Hastings. In a letter to Southeastern and transport secretary Mark Harper she says a service to London Charing Cross with fewer stops is much needed and regularly raised by constituents. “With the government still yet to fully support plans to extend the HS1 network from Ashford to Hastings, the restoration of a service with a reduction in stops would help achieve the same objective of a shorter journey time to London.”
Meanwhile there's no service on Southeastern or Southern on Wednesday, December 6 because of strike action
Council tax reduction scheme
Councils are required to review their council tax reduction schemes every year. Rother District Council is proposing two changes to its working-age scheme, to start from April 1 2024.
- To increase the maximum level of support for working-age applicants from 80% to 100%.
- To remove the minimum award of £5 per week
You have until midnight on Friday, December 22 to have your say. More information here.
Sea wall repairs
Work has begun on repairing the sea wall between Winchelsea Beach and Pett Level. Large trucks are taking shingle from near the harbour entrance and moving it up the coast in what’s become annual work.
This year’s repairs will see a recently revealed part of local history covered up once again: a large section of the old sea wall and military road was uncovered by Storm Ciaran last month after almost five decades.
Udimore Road closed
The road through Udimore will be closed for three days next week. On Monday, December 4 there are roadworks in Cock Marling on the B2085, and on Tuesday and Wednesday December 5 / 6 the work is taking place near the centre of Udimore. The road will be closed 7am - 7pm on all three days.
Christmas in Rye
It's Christmas in Rye this Saturday, December 2 with a full day of events planned and music in the streets. The Christmas procession begins at the train station at 5:30pm and the carol concert in the church starts at 6:15pm. The high street will be closed to traffic between 9am and 7pm.
For full details of what's happening, and some of the other events this weekend, click here.
Get in touch
If you see anything happening in and around Rye our email is info@ryenews.org.uk.
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