Welcome to hertsdirect.org

Have your say on the future of the Abbey Line

On the 4 January, The Department for Transport (DfT) and Hertfordshire County Council launched a public consultation on plans to increase the frequency of services on the rail route between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey (the ‘Abbey Line’).

Under the proposals, the Abbey Line will be converted to light rail, which means that the line could run tram vehicles rather than traditional heavy rail stock, but still using the same track and infrastructure. This will provide significant benefits to the travelling public in a cost–effective way; in particular a more frequent service and a timetable that is easier to remember.

Responsibility for the line will transfer to Hertfordshire County Council, so it would become locally operated and accountable. Under these plans, the county council would take responsibility for the service and the Department for Transport would transfer the money that would otherwise have gone into the franchise subsidy to HCC.

The consultation runs until 31st March 2010. If you want to find out more and have your say, please visit the DfT online via the link on the right.