A campaign group against the creation of a rail freight terminal on Green Belt land have disrupted the A414 North Orbital Road.

'Save St Albans: Fight the Freight' organised a "slow drive" on the road between London Colney and Park Street yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, March 7).

The protest was arranged to highlight concerns over increased traffic, should the proposed development go ahead.

Campaigners with banners and posters drove slowly along the road, in order to "alert other motorists to the impact on local traffic".

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According to the group, the A414 would see a 43 per cent increase in congestion, which would be further increased should the depot become a lorry-to-lorry distribution centre, as campaigners fear.

Cllr Nuala Webb, who took part in the protest, said: "The two mile stretch of the A414 between London Colney and Park Street roundabout is already at full capacity during rush hour.

"Studies from 2019 show the road has an average of 36,000 vehicles a day.

"The terminal will bring an additional 12-15,000 vehicles a day – that’s an extra five million vehicles a year which means a huge amount of extra pollution.

“With no direct access to the motorway network, they will all have to use the A414 which will lead to delays, queues and additional traffic forced onto local roads.

"The A414 is already dangerous.

"The bends and dips make for difficult sightlines, drivers chop and change lane and whenever you see delays you see impatient drivers trying to push in.”

The proposed terminal would be constructed on the former Radlett Airfield site, near Park Street.

A petition to stop the sale of this land to developers SEGRO has now reached 4,700 signatures.

Richard Roberts, leader of Hertfordshire County Council, told The Herts Advertiser: "We are reluctant sellers and always have been, following the St Albans District Council approval when the development of the site was raised.

"Against our advice and local position, the Secretary of State at the time (Eric Pickles) ruled in favour of the interchange after considering all of the available information.

"Once the site was authorised to have started its development by St Albans District Council, we were left with no choice but to accept the offer from SEGRO.

"We didn’t believe this was a good place for a freight interchange, we still don’t, but we are doing everything possible to ensure that this development comes with substantial benefits for the local community and indeed, the wider county.”