23 Mar 2023
The leader of Herts county council has apparently admitted the former Radlett airfield site will become a lorry freight depot – not a strategic rail freight interchange.
Cllr Richard Roberts was speaking to Joy Mendelsohn from Park Street Residents Association at a demonstration opposing the SRFI outside County Hall in Hertford on Monday.
If confirmed, this would mark the significant material change in the scheme needed for HCC to block the sale of the site.
She said afterwards: “I questioned Cllr Roberts on how the area not suitable for rail freight and he agreed, so I said ‘it would be lorry freight then?’ and he said ‘yes’.
“He ignored my question on emissions and said Segro would pay for all road improvements. I said ‘how can you ensure once [the sale is] signed that Segro will pay for roads?’ and he just shrugged.”
She went on to add that Cllr Roberts admitted he had not read all the information provided by the campaign’s KC, and that the rare River Ver chalk stream could not be protected from any damage caused by the scheme.
Cllr Nuala Webb , from the Save St Albans: Fight the Freight campaign said: “This is a huge game changer. If Richard Roberts really believes there is little chance of this becoming a rail freight interchange he has an urgent and immediate responsibility to stop the proposed sale of the land.
“A freight terminal for road haulage would mark a significant and material change to what was approved by Eric Pickles nine years ago.
“The argument that the benefits of moving some freight from road to rail no longer applies.
“In fact, it is exactly the opposite and will see even more road freight. It would not have received planning approval on a Green Belt site.
“It is disgraceful that Herts county council has failed to actively look at changes around rail freight capacity requirements, especially with the knowledge that since planning was approved two alternative sites at Willesden in north-west London and Sundon Quarry near Luton have been developed and are much better placed to meet rail freight demands. If they had, they would have evidence to support what Cllr Roberts said outside County Hall on Monday.
“Independent legal advice has supported MP Daisy Cooper’s assertion that the council are not obliged to sell the land.
Cllr Webb added: “Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden has called the terminal ludicrous and unnecessary. The people who live in the area don’t want it and there’s growing evidence that the rail freight industry doesn’t need it.
“Herts council should admit this is a mess and stop the sale now.”
A petition calling on the council to stop the sale has now reached nearly 5,500 signatures.
A spokesman for HCC said: “As part of the sale process, the county council has sought and received external updated opinion from counsel. We have made this advice public for review by any interested parties.
“Due to commercial sensitivity, a small section has been redacted but the premise remains that following the approval by the Secretary of State for a strategic rail freight interchange on this site we are obligated to sell our land interest if a number of conditions are met.”
The St Albans Times contacted Cllr Roberts for a comment on what he was alleged to have said on Monday, but he failed to respond to our enquiries.
