Assurance have been made to Three Rivers District councillors Diana Barber (Penn and Mill End) and Angela Killick (Maple Cross) that the local bus service from Watford to Maple Cross would continue and, most importantly, that service reliability would be improved.
This follows a meeting with the Arriva buses area manager at Hemel Hempstead depot on August 21.
Cllr Barber said: “The 324 is being withdrawn, but from the end of September the new 520 will serve the Watford, Rickmansworth, Penn, Mill End and Maple Cross route.
“The timetable is expected to be broadly the same as now, subject to confirmation. We have also ensured communication between Arriva and the new Reach School, which opens in September.”
Cllr Killick said: “We told Arriva we have been working with about 30 residents and that we now have a network of bus users to keep us informed of no-shows in the bus service, especially when two buses are cancelled in succession.
“We intend to monitor this long term. The area manager, Chris Berry, has agreed we can contact him direct.”
Arriva says it is carrying out a Transformation Programme to improve bus reliability and the recruitment and retention of staff. Improved trackers on each bus from next Easter will enable better fleet management.
The councillors have also contacted county councillor Ralph Sangster to ask about the possibility of having electronic bus indicators in Rickmansworth High Street and at Maple Cross.
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