Thameslink expansion gets only amber light from LibDems

11.11.06pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 30th Jul 2007

Welwyn Garden City station

The government announcement giving the go-ahead to the Thameslink expansion has come 12 years too late, and will not affect Welwyn Hatfield for another 5-7 years, says county Lib Dem transport spokesman Malcolm Cowan, who represents Handside and Peartree.

'The project to link our line to the Thameslink line near St Pancras and allow trains from WGC and Hatfield to go through London was called Thameslink 2000, because that was when it was supposed to be completed' he said. 'The Tories under John Major failed to give the go-ahead, and Labour have stalled for another 10 years.

'Although the project is now being given the green light, it will only bring improvements to the St Albans line this side of the Olympics in 2012, according to my information from First Capital Connect. The linkup to improve Times Territory services will start after that. Yet the government has said rail fares must rise to pay for schemes like this.

'We already have the just about highest fares in Britain on this line, and Britain's rail fares are the highest in Europe - why should we pay any more at all?' Malcolm asked. 'The new rail franchise means we are paying £44m to the government this year for the privilege of using First Capital Connect trains, over and above all the operating costs.'

Entrance to rail station

'A sensible transport policy would be looking to get as many people out their cars as possible; you do this by regularly improving services and keeping fares to sensible levels. Under Labour, the opposite is happening' he concluded.