Rail freight campaigners take to the streets (From Watford Observer)

Rail freight campaigners take to the streets of Radlett

12:30pm Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Kathryn Snowdon, Reporter

Campaigners will be in Radlett tomorrow in a bid to get more signatures for the petition against the proposed rail freight terminal in St Albans.

It is part of a recent strategy whereby the online petition has now been widened to include all of Hertfordshire’s residents.

Cathy Bolshaw, from campaign group, STRiFE, said: "It will affect everybody in the whole area."

With the petition currently at just over 8,650 signatures, STRiFE and its campaigners hope to exceed the 10,000 mark as this will trigger an automatic debate at Hertfordshire County Council.

Andrew Love, 50, an accountant from St Albans, has been working with STRiFE in opposition to the rail freight.

Mr Love, who works in Watford, said if the rail freight goes ahead, there will be a significant effect on people across the county.

He added: "I think we are at a critical time because this is the first time in Hertfordshire County Council’s existence that there is a chance a petition will go past 10,000."

Exceeding this number means campaigners will be given five minutes to put forward their case in a debate at the county council.

Mr Love added: "As long as people are aware that, wherever they are in Hertfordshire, there is opposition to the scheme."

The petition has to be submitted to the county council before March 26.

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