Councillor hits back at Watford park-and-ride site rumours

Rumours about the location of a potential new park-and-ride have swirled after Watford Borough Council identified two possible sites as part of its new transport plan.

Documents currently out for public consultation list two sites - land near junction 5 for the M1 and near junction 20 of the M25 for Kings Langley.

Tom Dobrashian, who is working on the plan for Watford Borough Council, says his council is not considering any sites by the M25 within Three Rivers district for a park-and-ride, which has led to speculation on Facebook the land near Kings Langley is in Dacorum.

However, a senior councillor in Dacorum had firm words for those suggesting green belt land near to junction 20 of the M25 was under threat. He said: "It’s just not happening."

Park-and-rides provide a means to encourage drivers to park their cars outside of the town centre and complete the final part of their journey by bus.

At a council meeting on September 15, Kings Langley Conservative councillor Alan Anderson, who has district-wide responsibilities for planning and infrastructure, said his council had not had negotiations with Watford in connection to the scheme.

He told councillors: "I didn’t want to bring this issue up, but I fear I have to, to prevent it being hijacked by people whose business it isn’t.

"There was some controversy last week concerning Watford’s transport plan. Watford Borough Council is consulting on a transport plan that includes, in the appendix, 10 to 12 schemes varying in reality from those that are quite likely to those that could almost be called kite-flying. 

"Contrary to some bizarre claims made on Facebook, Dacorum did not negotiate to get a park and ride scheme on the Dacorum Kings Langley side of junction 20 of the M25.

"We’ve never sought that, we’ve never tried to get it, and claims to the contrary are bizarre."

A bird's eye view of Junction 20 for the M25. North of the motorway is Dacorum and south is Three Rivers. Credit: Google

He added: "Our officers have communicated with Watford officers about the transport plan and we will be passing comment on it before the consultation period ends.

"We certainly do not support the idea of trying to put a park and ride on a high value piece of green belt, coalescent with a site with an ancient monument in it. It’s just not happening."

Related: New transport schemes drawn up to make Watford more sustainable

Watford Borough Council documents state a park-and-ride for the town has the potential to "significantly" reduce the number of trips into Watford, adding it will also reduce congestion and demand for car parking in the town centre.

The council says 74 per cent of commuting trip into Watford are by car with average speeds of less than 10mph in many of the town's roads during morning rush hour.

Traffic queuing onto Watford's ring road. Credit: Watford Borough Council

The council believes a park-and-ride in the Kings Langley area has the potential to tie in with the village's train station, with links also to Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden.

Watford Borough Council says no specific site has been located and acknowledged "further significant work" is required to establish the viability of both park-and-ride options.

Any park-and-ride for Watford is subject to funding and agreement of adopting a new transport strategy for the town, along with consultation with neighbouring councils, with the council stating any park-and-ride scheme could take 10 years to develop.

Consultation on Watford Borough Council’s transport strategy is open for comments until October 13, with more information available at https://www.futuretravelwatford.com