A NEW radio station could soon be serving the people of Gravesham and Dartford. The Radio Authority says that an available frequency could be found, although its exact coverage area was yet to be determined.

Gravesham MP Chris Pond argued the case for a separate radio station for Kent Thameside at a recent meeting with the authority's chief executive Tony Stoller.

In a letter to Mr Pond, the authority, which licences and regulates all commercial radio services, hoped it would prove possible to produce an acceptable outcome for him and his constituents.

If a frequency became available, local radio stations The River and Rockit FM are likely to be among the applicants.

Mr Pond claimed Kent Thameside needed and deserved local radio that reflected the identity of a "vibrant and growing" community.

He said: "People in north Kent do not identify with Greater London and are not satisfied with London commercial stations which do not reflect their local communities."

Gravesham Council and North Kent Police have also voiced support for a full-time station for the area. Council spokesman, Louise Bratton, said: "Anything that will bond the community together and keep residents informed has to be a good thing. We look forward to an announcement from the Radio Authority soon."

Martin Pearce, a spokesman for North Kent Police, felt a new station would be a valuable tool for communicating important crime prevention advice and witness appeals.

He added: "There's a bit of a gap when it comes to radio coverage in the area and a full-time service would be extremely useful for us and the community."

A Radio Authority spokesman said any identified frequency would go through a special clearing procedure, which would examine possible interference from other stations, before being advertised.

The spokesman was unable to give a timescale but could not rule out the frequency being advertised as early as next year.