Hundreds sign petition against rail freight (From Watford Observer)

Hundreds sign petition against Radlett rail freight

5:20pm Friday 4th January 2013 in News By Zoe Forsey, Senior Reporter

Hundreds of residents have signed an online petition to try to convince the county council not to sell the land needed to build a controversial rail freight near St Albans and Radlett.

Secretary of State Eric Pickles announced that the site will go ahead at the end of last year, despite objections from residents, politicians and councils.

However campaigners are refusing to give up, and a petition was set up on Thursday (yesterday).

This afternoon (Friday), more than 1300 residents have signed.

Cathy Bolshaw, co-ordinator for STRiFE, said: "We are just trying every angle of attack to stop this.

"The initial reaction has been quite amazing.

"It just shows the level of incense at the decision.

"People are angry and frustrated."

The petition has been set up in a bid to convince Hertfordshire County Council not to sell the land to the property company Helioslough.

The land in question, which is Green Belt, is the former Radlett Aerodrome between Park Street and London Colney.

Councillor Steve Bowes-Phipps, Conservative representative for Park Street said: "It’s not the end of the road.

"A lot of people are seeing this as doom and gloom. Of course it is a blow but we’ve got to be realistic.

STRIFE is currently working with lawyers to pick through fine points of the letter to work out the best step to take next.

Councillor Bowes-Phipps added: "There are some options there. We don’t know how good they are but over the next two weeks it will become clearer."

To sign the petition visit https://consult.hertsdirect.org/petitions/petition?petition_id=74614&all=1