The Mayor of Watford has admitted that “charm offensive” might be needed to convince Sadiq Khan to back the Met Line extension.

Following a meeting between the key stakeholders last Friday, Mayor Dorothy Thornhill admitted she needed to make the Mayor of London “love the project like we do”.

Mayor Thornhill’s personal assistant Mike Shaw denied rumours that the extension could be scrapped, but insisted they had to make Mr Khan like the project “as much as Boris Johnson” did.

He said: “I very, very much doubt that the Met Line will be scrapped. The Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling has backed it too much, and too many partners have sunk too much money into it.

READ MORE: UPDATE: Met Line extension: Mayor confirms work has stopped

“I can’t see why they would buy a train for a track that won’t be built, and most of the design work has been completed. But we can’t expect a running commentary right now – it’s just a waiting game, and it’s frustrating for everyone involved.

"Hertfordshire County Council were the leader of this - Watford Borough Council has no responsibility for the extension."

When asked how long it would be before the public were given more concrete information, Mr Shaw said he did not know, but said more details might be available when the Government’s £200m growth fund plans are revealed in March. There is the possibility that Transport for London will secure money for the project out of this fund.

Hertfordshire County Council led the project until November 2016, when it was passed to TfL.

Speaking on behalf of the county council, Muireann Bulger admitted the council is concerned that the plans were omitted from Mr Khan’s draft plan.

She said: “We are seeking confirmation from the London Mayor that the commitment the London Underground made to deliver the scheme is honoured, and the benefits that the scheme will bring to the local area, and London, are realised.

“We signed the transfer agreement around the agreed budget of £284.4m in November last year, handing over management of the project to London Underground. Under the terms, TfL are to meet any excess costs or retain any savings.”

READ MORE: Editorial comment: Met Line extension - where is the pressure from our MP and Mayor?

Mayor Thornhill has asked Val Shawcross, Deputy Mayor for Transport, for a briefing on the scheme, but a date for the meeting has not been set.

In a letter to Shawcross, Thornhill wrote: “Along with our partners Hertfordshire County Council, Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Department for Transport, my colleagues at Watford Borough Council and I are extremely concerned about the omission of the scheme from the Mayor’s Draft Transport Plan published last month.

“I understand TfL’s contribution to the scheme may be allocated from the £200m growth fund which is due to be announced in March. I along with all of our partners would like to put forward the strongest possible case for TfL’s agreed contribution to the extension to be funded from this growth fund.

“Indeed many millions have been spent and work is under way.”