RESIDENTS in the Oxhey area and Watford's Friends of the Earth are delighted at Watford Council's decision to abandon the development of the Wiggenhall Road link.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the council's policy and resources committee on Monday evening after it was agreed environmental damage would outweigh any improvement in the traffic situation.

The Wiggenhall Road link, together with the regeneration of the Cardiff Road industrial estate, was part of a development strategy concentrated on the West Watford area and proposed by the council in July 1998.

Councillors were given the results of a traffic impact study carried out over 18 months by Mouchel Consulting, on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council.

This concluded the Cardiff Link Road, which is planned to run from Wiggenhall Road and through Cardiff Road industrial estate, would act as a key access road to Watford General Hospital and Watford Football Club.

But Mouchel's study found the advantages of extending this to include the Wiggenhall Link Road would not justify constructing a road through the middle of Oxhey Park.

Dr Peter Coughtry, an environmental expert from Mouchel Consulting, highlighted the key areas of environmental impact as being: the considerable number of trees that would need to be felled; the interference to and removal of wildlife and the visual impact on the area.

Councillor Dorothy Thornhill said Liberal Democat representatives for Oxhey Ward had been aware of the environmental consequences since the link was mooted.

She said: 'We have opposed this proposal from the very beginning as we do not feel the road will deliver what it sets out to, that is relieve congestion from residential roads in the area.'

A Friends of the Earth representative said: 'We are delighted that Watford Council has abandoned this proposal. Oxhey Park is one of Watford's few remaining natural wildlife areas.

'The river that runs through it is regulary used by local fishermen and for many children living in the area, it is the only safe place to play.'

Members of the group remain sceptical about the approved plans for the Cardiff Road Link development, which will mean the loss of three of the Farm Terrace allotments.

However, the council considers this would be outweighed by the benefits to residents of Cardiff Road of providing a new road to the hospital, football ground and industrial estate.

The development, scheduled for completion at the beginning of 2003, will mean the existing Cardiff Road will become a cul-de-sac.

vdillingham@london.newsquest.co.uk

has conducted a traffic impact study and the results were presented to councillors he county council's traffic department has appointed , the results of which were presented at the meeting by Mr John Collins from Hertfordshire County Council.