All posts by ianr

SUSY News

Covid-19 increasing in Surrey

Coronavirus rates are rising in all but two areas of Surrey.

The rate per 100,000 for the past seven days has only dropped in Waverley and Woking.

It’s as both Sussex and Surrey are now in Tier 2 lockdowns while neighbouring Kent is Tier 3.

A detailed breakdown of the figures can be found here.

Information on how Surrey is dealing with the pandemic can be found here.

Information on how Sussex is dealing with the pandemic can be found here.

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com

SUSY News

Gatwick is busiest train station outside London

Gatwick Airport is one of Britain’s busiest train stations outside of London.

Rail passenger numbers have increased by around 8m since 2009, with 21m of us using the station last year alone.

Figures up to March this year show a slight drop off due to coronavirus but the airport train station remains the 6th most used outside the capital.

A £150m investment over the next two years is due to double the size of the station.

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com

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£250,000 financial help for Crawley Town FC

Crawley Town Football Club is to get around a quarter of a million pounds in financial help.

It’s part of a £50m rescue package for League One and Two clubs agreed by the Premier League and EFL to help smaller clubs following the coronavirus pandemic.

EFL Chair, Rick Parry, said: “Our over-arching aim throughout this process has been to ensure that all EFL Clubs survive the financial impact of the pandemic. I am pleased that we have now reached a resolution on behalf of our Clubs and as we have maintained throughout this will provide much-needed support and clarity following months of uncertainty.

“I would like to thank Richard Masters and Gary Hoffman for their efforts on behalf of the Premier League, and of course their shareholders, for making this welcome, tangible commitment to the professional game at a time when it has needed it most.”

Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive, said: “The Premier League is a huge a supporter of the football pyramid and is well aware of the important role clubs play in their communities. Our commitment is that no EFL club need go out of business due to COVID-19.

“All football clubs continue to suffer significant financial losses as a result of the pandemic, but Premier League Shareholders today unanimously agreed to provide additional funding and support for EFL clubs in real financial distress.

“We are very pleased to have reached this agreement and we stand together with the EFL in our commitment to protect all clubs in these unprecedented times.”

Initial grants will be paid to help cover missed gate receipts with clubs being able to apply for further funding which will be assessed on need.

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com

SUSY News

Anger as historic woodland in Horley chopped down – Updated

Residents have reacted with fury after part of an historic woodland in Horley was chopped down.

The trees, neighbouring Meadowcroft Close and in the vicinity of Meadowcroft House, were felled at the weekend.

Angry residents alerted The Forestry Commission on discovering the devastation. No permits for work have apparently been issued, but a tree preservation order from Reigate and Banstead Borough Council has now been put up at the site.
However, local residents say the damage has already been done.

Maureen Sinclair, who lives nearby, said: “The trees were a wonderful break between us and Gatwick Airport. They support so much wildlife around here; we have small birds we have large birds, we have owls. We have all sort of birds. I think we have bats.”
She added: “I have noticed the noise more, there is more noise from the motorway now than there was before they felled the trees.
“I think it’s such a shame, the whole of this area is being built upon, we just need all the trees we can have to clean up the environment.”

“It’s just a really beautiful wood,” said Sarah Marchant. “It’s packed full of wildlife, we love our wildlife, we have been watching sparrowhawks nesting in it this last year.
“We are absolutely heartbroken.
“The woodland has been completely decimated.”

The land in question has been involved in discussions over the proposed Horley Business Park, but it remains unclear exactly why the trees were felled.

East Surrey MP Claire Coutinho visited the site after residents raised concerns over the destruction of the trees.
In a statement released on Facebook, she said: “This morning I became aware of trees being felled over the weekend in Horley. My team visited the site earlier today to assess the situation and find out more details.
“I understand that the contractors have said it was for the business park, but there are no approved plans for the park at this stage.
“All the works have taken place on one area of about six acres. This is the only land that is not owned by either Surrey County Council or Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. No permissions have been granted or requests received for this work.
“My team has written to RBBC’s enforcement team and their Head of Legal Services to see what action can be taken, and we are awaiting responses. We have also asked that they block any further tree felling on the site.
“I will continue to liaise with local figures.”

Images and video courtesy of Analiese Whittaker

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com

SUSY News

Police set for Christmas crackdown on drink and drug drivers

More than 500 car crashes in Surrey and Sussex have led to death and serious injury over the past three years.

Throughout the festive period, Surrey and Sussex Police Officers will be cracking down on drink drivers with added resources to keep the roads safe.
Driving under the influence of drink or drugs could result in a prison sentence or unlimited fine, for those caught and convicted.

Chief Inspector Michael Hodder, of the Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said: “The consequences of drink and drug-driving are far reaching. Even a small amount of alcohol or substances can massively impair your ability to drive safely, and you increase the risk of seriously injuring or even killing yourself or someone else.

“Imagine being responsible for something like that. Not only have you destroyed the life of that person and their loved ones, you’ve also destroyed your own life.

“This is not just a warning; this is the reality. In the past three years (October 2017 – September 2020), there have been 296 collisions in Sussex and 214 collisions in Surrey which have resulted in death or serious injury, and where drink or drugs has been the main contributory factor.

“Working with our divisional colleagues and partners including Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and DriveSmart in Surrey, we are committed to improving the safety of all road users and reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured (KSIs) on our roads.

“Our approach to reducing KSIs will target those at greatest risk on our roads, including motorcyclists, young drivers and vulnerable road users, and we will make the road network a hostile place for those intent on criminality by denying them use of the roads.

“We will achieve this through a combination of measures including education, engineering and enforcement, and we will continue to improve the safety of the road network with special emphasis on reducing casualty rates of vulnerable users.”

If you have news for Sussex and Surrey, contact us on news@susyradio.com