Photo credit: Gatwick Airport and Gridserve

Gatwick Airport will build an electric car charging forecourt; the net zero carbon equivalent to a petrol station. 

Gatwick will be working with sustainable energy company, Gridserve to build the Gatwick Electric Forecourt.  The service will be available to passengers, commuters and local residents that pass through the airport and its surrounding motorway network.  The facility is a first for a UK airport and will be located on the Ring Road South approach to Gatwick’s South Terminal and adjacent to the M23.  It will enable 36 electric vehicles to be charged simultaneously with high-power chargers and multiple charging connectors to cater for all types of electric cars. 

The site is due to open in Autumn 2022 and will also host a cafe and a waiting lounge.

Pictured: ‘Clan Line’ passing through Merstham on its way back to London (courtesy Alan French)

This Saturday 11th December 2021, there is the chance to see a steam train passing through the Susy Radio area.

Merchant Navy Class Pacific No.35028 ‘Clan Line’ will be hauling the Belmond British Pullman train on a Surrey Hills excursion from London. On this journey ‘Clan Line’ will pause at Shalford, where water is taken between 14.22 and 14.40, before continuing through Gomshall (14.55) Dorking, Betchworth, Reigate (15.11), Redhill (15.16 – 15.21) and Merstham on its way back to London Victoria.

Other than Shalford it is not due to stop at any other stations. For your own safety please respect railway property and do not trespass.

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

Photo credit:  Surrey Hills AONB

A formal boundary review has begun of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

The review is led by Natural England and will decide whether areas next to the existing Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty should also be designated.  This covers the North Downs and Greensand Ridge landscapes on the doorstep of towns such as Dorking, Reigate and Oxted. 

Local residents are invited to take part in the review process by downloading the Survey123 App or using the Survey 123 form .  A series of webinars will be held in the next few weeks for people to find out more about the evidence-gathering process.  

The webinars will last an hour and are taking place on the following dates:

• Tuesday 7 December, 2pm.
• Wednesday 8 December, 7pm
• Saturday 11 December, 10am
• Wednesday 15 December, 7pm
• Wednesday 5 January, 7pm
• Saturday 8 January, 10am
• Monday 10 January, 2pm

Photo courtesy West Sussex County Council

West Sussex firefighters set off on a 1600 mile journey at the weekend to deliver fire engines abroad. 

The group of eight set off on a journey across Europe to North Macedonia as part of the Fire Service Humanitarian Aid project.  The group will be delivering three fire engines to support firefighters in Macedonia in carrying out their duties.  The vehicles are provided from a partnership with Fire Aid and were withdrawn from service in 2019.  They are fully kitted out with equipment and carry 150 sets of fire kit. 

The journey will see the group travel through France, Italy and Albania and they hope to arrive in Macedonia by Wednesday.  They will then carry out four days of training with firefighters in Macedonia before flying back home on Sunday.

Photo above shows Simon Brown from Redhill Job Centre Plus at the Gatwick Job Fair

Around 40 local companies took part in a Job Fair near Gatwick last week. 

Arranged by the Job Centre, employers offered opportunities to young people through the Government’s Kickstart Scheme.  The Scheme ends in just a few weeks time on 17th December. 

Kickstart provides funding to employers to create jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit, as Kickstart Employer Advisor,  Kiran Gandhi explained to Susy Radio:

Photo shows Kiran Gandhi, DWP Horsham, Stephen Hopson, Piron Recycling and Susy Radio Presenter, Shan Robins.