5th January 2010

Rail freight update

 

The rail freight inquiry closed just before Christmas, and I wanted to thank the STRiFE team and all those involved for all their hard work on this matter. I addressed the Inquiry and attended when Parliamentary business allowed, listening to key parts of the hearings and trying to help the team as best I could.

 

Throughout the past year I arranged meetings with and sought information from Network Rail, First Capital Connect, the Freight Transport Association, proposers for alternative sites and many others in order to get the best technical data that we could. STRiFE used much of this information, and their excellent Lawyer, Paul Stinchcombe, made a strong argument for refusal and made it very clear in his summing up statement that there is no technical evidence to show that this would be able to operate as a rail freight site and that it would be hugely damaging to the green belt and St Albans.

 

The inquiry showed that even more houses could be affected by noise than had previously been thought, and because the rail pathways are not guaranteed to be available, there is an increased likelihood of night time noise and the site operating as a road to road freight site. The Government’s new rail freight strategies are also due in the next few months and this further underlines how premature this application is.

 

I have always believed that the developer wished to rush this proposal through before other, more appropriate, sites become available.  We must now wait for the outcome of this inquiry, which is expected on or before the 23rd of June.  I will continue to lobby whichever Government is in power for a refusal of this application.  For the future of St Albans this is a fight that we must win.

 

I wish to pay tribute to STRiFE for all their work in defending St Albans against this proposal, it has been a pleasure to work with them.

 

Wishing you all a prosperous and peaceful New Year,

Anne Main

Member of Parliament for St Albans

maina@parliament.uk - 0207 219 8270

 

 

 

 

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