A WALK IN THE PARK FOR KUBOTA
Established in the early 13th century, Kent’s iconic Mote Park spans over 180-hectares. Owned by the royal family for well over a century, the park is now open to the public with its grassland, woodland, rivers and 30 acre lake attracting over 1.6 million visitors per year.
Following a £2.5 million investment in 2011, the park offers visitors a wide range of sporting activities including football, rugby, and water sports. For a more relaxing experience, individuals can complete forest walks, take a ride on the model railway, or partake in other events at the Maidstone leisure centre.
The park’s investment came as a result of a £1.8-million-pound Heritage Lottery Fund grant, which was added to by the local council. The park’s yearly visitors have more than doubled since the redevelopment of its three improved visitor hubs as individuals flock to the park for after-work and weekend activities.
In addition to the renovation of the vast site, Maidstone Borough Council employed an audience development officer to support its daily activities and operations. The increased footfall has required greater maintenance, a responsibility led by Park Supervisor, Christopher Wilding, and his team of 12 grounds maintenance professionals.
To ensure the park is kept in pristine conditions at all times, Christopher’s team required equipment that enabled them to manage the vast, busy, and ever-changing site at all times with ease. To meet this need, Maidstone Borough Council purchased Kubota’s leading RTV-X900 utility vehicle, acquired from Lister Wilder’s Ashford depot. The utility vehicle completes a range of tasks including helping to move people, tools and materials efficiently, along with navigating tight and sometimes inaccessible areas.
Boasting a 21.6HP three cylinder diesel engine, Kubota’s RTV-X900 offers the team exceptional power on demand, resulting in dependable performance even on the harshest terrains. Paired with an improved Variable Hydraulic Transmission with Oil Cooler, its wide torque band and large oil coolers make for a machine that offers improved performance, particularly for prolonged periods time, ideal for use across such a vast site.
The RTV-X900’s Variable Hydraulic Transmission also offers improved operator control, featuring speed ranges that are selected whilst stationary, reducing the need for Chris and his team to change gear so often.
Christopher said: “The RTV-X900 helps massively across a range of tasks including the everyday maintenance of sports pitches, tending to shrub beds and gathering litter. Having experienced such a dramatic increase in visitors, the time we have to get jobs done has decreased significantly. By having the Kubota RTV-X900 at the forefront of our fleet, we’ve been able to raise our levels of operations and tackle the challenge head on.
“With such a large area to cover, having a machine that we can rely on is essential, and having used one of Kubota’s RTVs previously at the council’s crematorium, I knew that the RTV-X900 would be perfect for Mote Park. The compactness of the machine means that while it’s fairly small, its load-carrying capacity is excellent, helping us get people, equipment and waste across the park with ease. Plus, as a 4×4, the RTV is incredibly useful to us as we go off-road frequently throughout the day.”
It’s Limited-Slip Front Differential on the front axle increases traction giving a more controlled, smoother ride on rough or muddy terrain.
Chris continued: “The ergonomic design and comfort of the machine also makes it a pleasure to operate, it’s rare to find such a machine that is so easy to control, but so strong in performance. With a wide variety of activities going on at the park, the RTV is a great asset to have, simply because of how versatile it is.”
The machine’s strength allows for an impressive 1000KG towing capacity, whilst its all-round independent suspension system delivers a comfortable ride over the most rugged terrain. In addition, the machines maximum ground clearance of 263mm, gives the team enough belly room to deal with deep ruts which may be found throughout the woodland areas.
“What’s great about Kubota is the aftersales support and our strong relationship with our Kubota dealer, Lister Wilder. Our continued communications mean that they’re always there if we need them, so our operations are very rarely disrupted.”
Chris and his team are very proud of the park’s success, having come a long way in a relatively short space of time. The team’s efforts have won two Green Flag Awards from Keep Britain Tidy, a precedence which they are determined to continue.
