READERS glancing at the Green Party’s objections to more parking spaces at Watford Junction might be forgiven for thinking its activists had lost sight of the bigger picture. Surely environmentalists should want more people to take the train, not less?

Anyone who uses Watford Junction regularly is aware of the many shortcomings: the moon-like surface of the existing car park, the poky walk under the tunnel to buy a ticket.

So building two new car parks, and opening up the station’s car parks to traffic on both sides of the tracks, seems like a sensible option, particularly if getting from the car to the platform is a reasonably pleasant experience. And if more cars make short journeys so people take trains north and south, the environmental benefits should outweigh any costs.

But there is more to these plans than simply a station car park. The Greens are concerned that many people will use the spaces as another town centre car park, putting more strain on Station Road and Clarendon Road, and on Imperial Way and Colonial Way – the new access roads.

They are right to raise these concerns and, if enough people speak up in the consultation, the right outcome can hopefully be reached.

Having access to the station from both directions should reduce the pressure on the existing access roads. But the traffic system must be thought out so all roads from all directions can cope with an increase in traffic.

Then the pricing for the car park needs to be balanced so commuters can buy season tickets, but Saturday shoppers are dissuaded from treating the station as a cheap option.

Then again, if people know there are reliable, regular buses, they might even leave the car at home.

Finally, to get people out of their cars, Watford Junction’s shabby cycle storage needs improvement. Anyone with a bike they care about would think twice before using the current arrangements, in which bikes are left unsheltered and exposed.

The Greens are holding a meeting on Monday, and consultation ends on October 3. If you have an opinion, make it heard. That way, nobody can say that the wrong option was simply railroaded through.

Prevent tragedy on rail

The most recent of the summer’s torrential downpours could have resulted in tragedy on Friday September 16, when a train was derailed near Watford as a result of a landslip.

Fortunately the derailed carriage did not travel far off the rails, the impact with another train was only minor, and only two people were hurt.

But if more debris had slipped onto the rails, the consequences could have been far worse.

One traveller claimed the slippage was the result of recent tree felling along the embankment. Network Rail denies this, arguing trees can cause more serious problems.

We hope the investigation is thorough and honest, and any necessary precautions are taken to prevent another, possibly more serious, accident.