Category Archives: News

Understanding gritting

Timing is everything with gritting. If you go too early, you waste the grit, because it lands on a dry road and is blown away by the displaced air as vehicles drive past. If it is raining heavily then it just washes away. Ideally the grit goes down on a damp surface and starts to stick, but if you are too late the surface is already frozen and the salt has to work harder to be effective but it will prevent big sheets of ice forming.

The salt is hygroscopic which means that it attracts moisture from the air and it only becomes activated when it is ‘trafficked’. When the grit is driven over the salt grinds down and mixes with the moisture it attracts and becomes the ideal brine, a salty water, which is when it is most effective.

Similar to how local authorities manage gritting, the Estates department will grit all University of Kent roads and main footpaths before starting on other areas across the campuses. For more information see the University’s Snow and Ice Policy

Learn more about snow clearing.

Canterbury car park disruptions

Applicant Days (Giles Lane)

Applicant days are essential recruitment events for the University. The number of reserved parking bays within Giles Lane car park for visitors to these events is as follows, as requested by Enrolment Management Services:

  • Wednesday 6 December- 20 bays
  • Thursday 7 December- 30 bays
  • Saturday 9 December- 30 bays
  • Thursday 14 December- 30 bays

Gulbenkian events (Giles Lane)

To assist with school visits to performances of The Little Match Girl, a number of bays will be reserved in Giles Lane car park, as requested by the Gulbenkian:

  • Thursday 7- Friday 8 December- 15 bays
  • Wednesday 13- Friday 15 December- 8 bays

Engineering recruitment workshop (Pavilion car park)

  • Tuesday 12- Wednesday 13 December- 24 bays will be reserved in the Pavilion car park for an engineering workshop recruitment day, as requested by the School of Engineering and Digital Arts.

Please refer to our transport event calendar in between newsletters to keep up to date.

Stagecoach winter vacation timetable

Buses serving the University of Kent will run a winter vacation timetable from 17 December 2017 to 13 January 2018.

Uni1 – special timetable.

Uni2 – special timetable between 18 December and 31 December only (no Uni2 buses will run between 1 January and 13 January).

Route 4 – normal timetable except 25 December, 26 December and 1 January.

Triangle – normal timetable except 25 December, 26 December and 1 January.

Christmas Day – no buses.

Boxing Day – no buses.

New Year’s Day – no buses

You can pick up a physical copy of the winter vacation timetable from Security and Transport Centre, reception areas on campus or Canterbury bus station. You can also view the winter vacation timetable at Keynes and Darwin bus stops.

Follow @StagecoachSE on Twitter for regular service updates, or view live bus times on the Stagecoach app for iPhone and android.

Last few days of Travel Plan Survey- don’t miss out

The staff and student Travel Plan Survey 2017 closes on Friday 8 December 2017.

Don’t miss the chance to have your say and potentially win £100 cash card to use at the catering outlets on campus, or one of 100 hot drinks vouchers. Just enter your University of Kent email address at the end of the survey to enter the prize draw.

Let us know how we can improve travel to, from and around our campuses. The data from the survey helps shape various reports including the University Travel Plans and the Movement and Transport Strategy which feeds into the Canterbury campus 50-year Masterplan.

This is your opportunity to let the Estates Department know how we can improve travel to, from and around our campuses. Have your say on buses, cycling, parking, the Campus Shuttle and more.

The survey takes between 5-10 minutes to complete. There is also a “finish later” option if you need to return to complete the survey.

Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust- Speed limit and disruption

The speed limit within the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust (CHDT) estate is 10mph. We have been informed by the CHDT that there have been two near miss occurrences involving private vehicles and building contractor workers recently. Please remember 10mph is the speed limit and that this is a shared area with pedestrians.

From 17 November 2017 any vehicle caught speeding on the site will be stopped, and details of the driver and registration will be taken by the CHDT. Any repeat offenders will be barred from site.

CHDT have also made us aware that on Saturday 2 December there may be congestion around Western Avenue (which leads to Mast Pond car park) 09.00- 16.00 due to an event that a third party is holding.

Travel Plan Survey now open- chance to win prizes       

The staff and student Travel Plan Survey 2017 is now open. Complete the survey and enter your University of Kent email address for your chance to win £100 cash card to use at the catering outlets on campus, or one of 100 hot drinks vouchers.

Let us know how we can improve travel to, from and around our campuses. The data from the survey helps shape various reports including the University Travel Plans and the Movement and Transport Strategy which feeds into the Canterbury campus 50 year Masterplan.

This is your opportunity to let the Estates Department know how we can improve travel to, from and around our campuses. Have your say on buses, cycling, parking, the Campus Shuttle and more.

The survey takes between 5-10 minutes to complete. There is also a “finish later” option if you need to return to complete the survey. The survey closes Friday 8 December 2017.

Crab and Winkle Way Video by Kent County Council

Do you travel between Whitstable and Canterbury for work? How about swapping the car for a bicycle and trying out this beautiful traffic-free cycle route. The path is around 7.5 miles and suitable for most types of bikes. Visit explorekent.org for more information on the Crab & Winkle Way.

Wheel Potential Project

Runner up for the KUDOS Award, the Wheel Potential project provides adapted cycling along the Great Stour Way between Canterbury and Chartham (three miles away).

A shipping container has been sited at the start of this flat, off-road route, containing tricycles, tandem trikes, a semi-recumbent trike, a hand-cycle, wheelchair transporter, recumbent trike, tandem and four ordinary mountain bikes. Groups of people with disabilities can join the scheme for an annual fee, and can then book and borrow bikes using an online system.

 

Wheel Potential is a Community Interest Company founded by three directors in early 2016 with the aim to provide an open-air cycling experience for less-able adults in the Canterbury district, using a safe environment and adapted cycling machines.
The directors are able-bodied, long-term cyclists who were well aware of the joy of spinning along a country lane in the wind and the sun, and of the health and happiness benefits imparted by cycling. But what of those adults who, by virtue of learning or physical disabilities, are unable to ride safely unaccompanied, on-road, or on an orthodox bicycle? There was no facility for such people in Canterbury District, and so the idea to establish one was born.

The project has an occupational therapy purpose at its heart and aims to address health needs for people with life-limiting illness. There are a variety of partners including Occupational Therapy, Canterbury City Council, Parkinson’s UK and British Cycling.

Users are able to exercise in fresh air and with the company of others. They become more physically active, and in the case of Parkinson’s patients maintain their mobility and flexibility for longer. They learn about the maintenance and cleaning of machines and have the opportunity to try different cycles, progressing as they become more confident.

Find out more and get involved.

Car park disruptions

The following car park disruptions affect Canterbury campus. There are no known disruptions at Medway campus at this time.

28 October 2017- Giles Lane car park
On Saturday Giles Lane blue zone will be closed for the Gulbenkian outdoor screening. Please ensure your car is removed from Giles Lane car park by 22.00 Friday 27 October. The car park will be reopened on Sunday.

31 October 2017- Sports Centre car park
The blue zone and pay and display Sports Centre car parks will be closed for exhibitors at the Careers Fair, as requested by the Careers and Employability Service. Please ensure your car is removed from the Sports Centre car park by 22.00 Monday 30 October. The car park will be reopened on Wednesday.

1 November 2017- April 2018
Part of the KBS car park will be closed while a compound is set up, as requested by Estates. The compound will aid the Kent Business School refurbishment which commences 6 November until April time. This is approximately 16 spaces.

Check the transport events calendar for any further disruptions until the next newsletter email is sent out.