A protest against a proposed garden village failed to get into second gear.

Campaigners against a proposed garden village on the outskirts of London Colney had planned to create “traffic chaos” on the The Bell roundabout by driving around it three times slowly yesterday morning.

They hoped that it would cause enough traffic to demonstrate what might happen if 4,000 homes are given the go-ahead.

The proposed village will help Hertsmere Borough Council meet its housing target.

The protest was organised by London Colney Parish Council but according to its chairman, Malcolm MacMillan, only 30 people joined in.

He was with nine other drivers at 7.45am on Thursday but admitted the protest did not cause as much of a stir as hoped.

Video: Taken on Thursday morning, the protest did not have as much of an affect as hoped

Cllr MacMillan also rued that the protest was held during half-term, which he admits was an oversight.

He said; “We wanted to do something practical and show that all this extra traffic will be detrimental to the village. Unfortunately it had limited effect. We will revisit this and maybe do it again.”

Any application for this garden village will be overseen by Hertsmere Borough Council but residents in London Colney who could be largely affected have little say as they fall under St Albans District Council. Hertsmere ran a public consultation which ended on November 30.

St Albans District Council are also running a consultation on their own local plan.

Cllr MacMillan said the protest provided an opportunity for campaigners to show “what they really think about it”.

Observer columnist and London Colney resident Brett Ellis is also campaigning against the proposed village.

Mr Ellis, who was at The Bell, added: “The protest is not in Hertsmere and no one from Hertsmere is here to see it. No one showed up to partake in it. It’s half term and there’s very little traffic.

"The whole thing is ludicrous.”