Congratulations to Cllrs. Jessica Still and Peter Kloss on their meeting with TfL managers to put the case forward for step-free access at Watford Met Station.

Together with Michael Fish, I led the petition from 2014 to 2018 to keep this station open when it was under threat of closure. We made exactly the same points to keep the station open that these councillors are making now, ie that this is an important station that people across all parts of Watford and beyond rely on for getting to work or school or to visit the town centre or Cassiobury Park.

The station was saved from closure when in 2018 Sadiq Khan ‘pulled the plug’ on the Metropolitan Line Extension (MLX) on the grounds of expense. The petition in no way was against the MLX but pointed out that there would still be an urgent need for Watford Met Station for the reasons above and many other reasons.

Since 2018, there have been one or two alternative schemes to MLX put forward. Most recently Mr Leslie Freitag of Watford Rail Users group (‘An affordable rail link’ – Watford Observer, February 18) suggested a scheme which had cost £5.5 million in Cumbria. Working with Mr Fish who was an engineer and expert on the Metropolitan Line, I learnt that most of the bridges between Ascot Road and Watford Junction are cracked and would need either rebuilding or substantial repair which would take a large chunk of the £5.5 million mentioned by Mr Freitag.

The photograph of the disused rail link near Vicarage Road looked well kept. However, there are many other photographs showing the track overgrown and I think the old track must have been cleared at least three times – part of the costs involved.

I seem to remember Mr Fish telling me that there used to be a lift at Watford Met Station. How marvellous if that could be located and brought back into use for passengers.

Please councillors, keep up the good work. I am sure step free access would be much appreciated by older passengers like myself, parents with buggies, passengers with luggage. Yes, I have hauled a suitcase up those steps!

Carol Scleater

By email