THE fight to stop a huge railfreight depot from being built on Green Belt land just outside Radlett has suffered a possibly fatal blow.

Despite the hundreds of extra lorries that will use the already congested A414 and other local roads, Hertfordshire County Council’s highways experts have decided not to lodge an objection on traffic grounds.

Caroline Clapper, Herts county councillor for Hertsmere, voiced "bitter disappointment" at the news.

She said: "This could have a huge impact on the appeal case, though I very much hope it does not.

"If this goes through it will have a devastating effect on the local area, in terms of both traffic levels and pollution.

"I am very much against it and will do anything I can to ensure it gets turned down.

"I am bitterly disappointed by the decision."

Cathy Balshaw, of the campaign group Stop The Rail Freight Exchange (STRIFE), said: “This is a very disappointing surprise.

“The council objected last time, but I suppose it feels it does not have any new evidence to justify going over the same ground again.

“The A414 between the Park Street and London Colney roundabouts is probably the busiest section of road in Hertfordshire other than the motorways.

“And I am sure it is busier now than it was three years ago.

“I am still hopeful we will defeat it.”

The inspector who oversaw a public inquiry into developer Helioslough's first planning application to build a freight terminal between Park Street and London Colney ruled it would not cause serious traffic problems - and a letter from the county council to the City District Council says nothing of importance has changed.

It warns that Helioslough's costs could be awarded against the district council if it decides to pursue the traffic argument in the face of the inspector's conclusion.

The move leaves campaigners and the district council relying on other objections, such as noise and the impact on wildlife at the second public inquiry next month.

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