Although it’s not in St Albans itself, there can be little doubt that proposals by the Tory County Council to build a new incinerator just south of the City would have had a profound effect.

Local Liberal Democrat County Councillor Allan Witherick said “Last minute suggestions from the Tory County Council to build an incinerator would have had a real impact on us in terms of additional traffic and congestion on roads where heading towards London is already a problem.  That’s before we consider whether or not the technology is appropriate.  It’s just amazing that having made the case to prevent a rail freight terminal being built, the Tories thought it a good idea to throw yet another major development at the District.”

In St Stephens the Liberal Democrats have been relieved that their community is not being blighted with the Tory’s giant incinerator. Local District Councillor for Park Street Ward, Nicola McAlister-Baillie, who led the Lib Dem petition and poster campaign against this development said: ‘I want to thank all the residents who signed our petition, displayed posters and those who wrote in personally. This showed the strength of feeling in our community against this outrageous proposal.’

Lib Dem County Councillor, Aislinn Lee, who has been speaking out strongly against the scheme at County Hall added: ‘I am so relieved that the Tories at County Hall, who were proposing an Incinerator in our community, have finally had to accept that this is not the right site. Local Tory councillors have been unsurprisingly and embarrassingly silent on the issue!’

Liberal Democrat Malcolm Cowan said ‘In fact, neither of the sites put forward are suitable; as there is now to be a public enquiry, we can make the case again that the site is wrong, and there should be a re-evauation as to whether the incinerator solution agreed some years back is still the most appropriate – life has moved on and the county council needs to as well. Liberal Democrat councils elsewhere have come up with other much cheaper alternatives.’