• CAMDEN Council is currently consulting on its “Freight and Servicing Action Plan”.

Don’t get injured in the public rush to respond to that.

But think for a moment: this subject underpins much of everyday living in Camden and everywhere else.

However the council is trying to face in opposite directions at the same time.

On the one hand we are told in the consultation that it wants to “reshape Camden’s freight and servicing network to… transform Camden’s streets, to create safe and healthy places for everyone.”

On the other the council stubbornly supports the wretched Camden Highline, which would destroy the chance of more rail freight transport across the borough.

Modern freight trains through Camden Road station and through Gospel Oak will soon be powered by electricity across London, so no more polluting, noisy, diesel engines, in case you wondered.

It is pitiful that the Highline promoters show backing by Sadiq Khan, when in reality the Mayor of London only gave a bland, generic, message of support many years ago, and has since backed the efforts of Transport for London to reopen Camden Road’s platform three, and build a track for more freight trains.

Did Sir Keir Starmer fall into the same trap?

Only the commercial part of Network Rail – that would pull in rent from the Highline – supports the scheme.

The operational part, actually running trains, thinks very differently.

Readers can search on the web for the “London Rail Freight Strategy” and see for themselves.

But rail freight needs a boost everywhere. I disagree with reader Martin Sheppard (The government remains in denial about HS2, March 7); in reality High Speed 2 will allow more freight trains on the existing West Coast Main Line north from Primrose Hill and Willesden Junction, not “do nothing” as he says.

The HS2 service will open with six passenger trains per hour from Old Oak Common (next to the Elizabeth line) in west London, three to Birmingham and one each to Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.

Freight train paths on the existing rail line can then be increased, as well as allowing more local trains, perhaps double, between towns like Watford, Milton Keynes and Rugby.

Tell Camden Council it is hypocritical to back better, sustainable, freight transport for local deliveries, while opposing better freight transport from east coast container ports to Midlands distribution centres. The trains pass through the borough and have no alternative routes.

Technically the consultation has ended, but tell the council at deliveryandservicing@camden.gov.uk that you tried to deliver your comments on their freight plan last week, but they weren’t in and you didn’t want to leave the email on their front step!

JOHN COX, NW10