The Mayor of Watford has weighed in on the Metropolitan line extension, saying it will not be "the end of the line" for the scheme.

Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill believes the scheme has come too far to turn back and she is determined to find a way to ensure the extension goes ahead.

This comes after it was announced that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had refused an offer of £73million of funding from the government to start the project.

Mrs Thornhill said: "This is certainly not the end of the line for the MLX. 

"Government has committed £73million additional funding, which just goes to show how certain they are the scheme will deliver huge benefits – not just to Watford, but to Londoners and commuters. 

"It’s premature to say the scheme is dead and if it is purely about the cost risk we need to find a solution."

Mrs Thornhill also believes the change of plan is morally wrong as "the deal was done with Boris" and wants politicians to work out the final pieces of the puzzle to ensure the work is done.

She said: "It is not just about money - there is a moral imperative here. To pull the plug at this stage is actually wrong. 
"We have to shut ourselves in a room and come to an agreement. If it was 12 years ago I would have shrugged my shoulders but they have let us go too far."

Mrs Thornhill also disputed a comment from the Mayor's office about London taxpayers paying for work outside of the capital.

She said: "It is a very parochial attitude to think there is no crossover.

"We have taken London's growth and it is a really narrow focus on the whole problem.

"We are as much a part of London as they are a part of us."

The Watford mayor vowed to continue working with key partners urgently in the hope that this can happen in the future.

She added: "Not having the MLX will cost us jobs and new investment, so there is no way I am giving this up without a fight. 

"I am confident there is still a deal to be done."

A spokesman for the Mayor of London said: "The Mayor is determined to ensure an agreement is made which guarantees value for money for London taxpayers – particularly as Londoners are being asked to subsidise a scheme outside London.

"This is yet another example of the incompetent and chaotic approach the previous Mayor took to infrastructure projects – with London taxpayers being asked to pay for a scheme that will benefit people outside the capital."