Anne Main MP (St Albans)
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
9th June 2009
Rail Freight Update – New Planning Application 5/09/0708
The latest update on the rail freight proposal is that all letters must be received by St Albans District Council by 24th June. If you haven’t already written please do as your voice really does count on this matter.
Objections should be directed to Alan Moorhouse, the case officer at St Albans District Council at the following address, quoting reference 5/09/0708: Alan Moorhouse, Development Control Manager, Planning and Building Control Department, St Albans District Council, Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3JE.
I have written to the Council to object to this scheme in the strongest terms. My recent meetings with the Freight Transport Association (FTA), who are unconvinced of the merits of the Radlett site and the train company First Capital Connect (FCC) have only added to my conviction that this, indeed, would be a truly damaging proposal and, in effect, end up as one large lorry park in our green belt.
I took the STRiFE team to meet with First Capital Connect Managing Director Jim Morgan and Partnership Manager Larry Heyman to discuss the scheme. Mr Heyman confirmed that FCC had a lot of worries about the impact on passenger services and that they would be fighting the proposal again. This commitment from FCC is very welcome news, particularly since at the previous appeal Network Rail managed to convince the inspector that there would be no significant disruption to services.
FCC will be helping us provide a technical scrutiny of Network Rail’s position and, I believe will hold Network Rail to account on its views. I shall continue to meet with as many people as possible so that we can join forces to oppose this inappropriate development. The more support our cause can gain from third parties, the stronger our voice will be. I shall keep you up to date as soon as we have any more information.
I am as positive over our position on this application as I was on the last failed application, but we do need to keep up the pressure and ensure that STRiFE, who are working hard on your behalf, have our support. You can keep informed by visiting the STRiFE website at www.strife.biz, or my rail freight specific website at www.no2railfreight.com. I will also continue to keep you informed as part of my mailing list, as I do with more than 1,000 local people. If you know of anyone who would like to be added to my mailing list please do not hesitate to let me know.
With best wishes,
Anne Main
0207 219 8270 – maina@parliament.uk
maina@parliament.uk - 0207 219 8270
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