Hitchin Rail Curve Hits Tory Buffers

4.18.19pm GMT Wed 4th Nov 2009

Tory and Labour members of North Herts planning committee last night decided to object to the proposed "Hitchin curve" on green belt grounds, once again demonstrating their complete inability to make the right decisions on the environment or on transport.

Lib Dem leader of the opposition Cllr Steve Jarvis opposed their view but was defeated by 7 votes to 5. He commented "Although we need to get Network Rail to think again about how they bring material to the site this link should clearly go ahead. Quite how we can expect to transfer passenger and freight traffic to the railways if railway construction projects are not allowed in the green belt beats me."

Parliamentary candidate Nigel Quinton commented: "At the same time as Tory and Labour councillors in Luton are backing plans to build 5500 houses in North Herts green belt east of Luton, in Comet country the same political parties are standing in the way of a significant upgrading of our rail infrastructure on concerns about minimal green belt loss here in Hitchin. Their lack of perspective is breathtaking."