Arriva bus services in Watford are being changed from mid-April

The company says the changes, which include revised routes and withdrawals, are in "direct response to reduced passenger demand".

Arriva says it has "strived to ensure journeys are impacted as little as possible" but some areas in Watford and Three Rivers look to be negatively impacted by the changes.

Ten routes run by Arriva in south west Hertfordshire look to be affected - this is what we know about the seven routes affecting residents in Watford and Three Rivers.

The information has come via North Watford Labour county councillor Asif Khan who has received an update from a senior officer at Hertfordshire County Council.

Route 8

This is a bus route that currently runs between Abbots Langley and Mount Vernon Hospital, via North Watford and Watford town centre every 30 minutes.

From April 17, it will run between Watford town centre and Mount Vernon, continuing to operate via the likes of South Oxhey and Northwood.

Route 10

This is a bus route that currently runs between the Holywell estate and Woodside estate, via Watford town centre, every 15 minutes.

From April 17, the service will continue to run between Holywell and Woodside as it does now. But it will extend to Abbots Langley and South Way to partly cover a section of route 8 that is being lost.

The service will run every 30 minutes.

Route 20

This is a new bus service that will be introduced from April 17.

It will operate between Holywell in Watford and Hemel Hempstead, covering Watford town centre, North Watford (part), Woodside, Leverstock Green, Maylands, and Adeyfield in Hemel before terminating in the town.

It is set to run every 30 minutes and is due to cover part of the 320 which is being withdrawn.

Route 320

This is a bus service that currently runs between Hemel Hempstead and Maple Cross. It goes via both those areas as well as Rickmansworth, Croxley Green, Watford town centre, North Watford, Garston, Abbots Langley, Bedmond, and Leverstock Green.

The 320 service is being withdrawn from April 17. It will be replaced in part by the new 20 bus service and the 321, which is being revised.

Route 321

This is a bus service that currently runs between Watford town centre and Luton, via North Watford, Garston, Chiswell Green, St Albans, and Harpenden.

From April 17, the 321 will be extended from Watford to cover Croxley Green, Rickmansworth and Maple Cross, to cover the loss of the 320 and 520 services.

Route 500

This is a bus service that currently runs between Watford and Aylesbury, via the likes of Hemel Hempstead and Kings Langley.

The route appears to be unchanged but will operate every 30 minutes rather than every 20 minutes.

Route 520

This is a bus service that currently runs between Maple Cross and Watford town centre, via Croxley Green and Rickmansworth.

It will be withdrawn from April 17 and replaced by the extended 321 service.

So how will these changes affect bus passengers in our area?

The county council officer has told Cllr Khan that most areas will get an "equivalent level" of service to what currently exists - but that services are improving on the Holywell estate.

He says The Harebreaks and Leggatts Way in North Watford will no longer be served by the 8 service, while Leavesden Park will only be served during peak hours on the revised 10 route and new 20 route.

Cllr Khan said: "I’m disappointed there will be no bus route from Leggatts Way and The Harebreaks and I will be campaigning for a new service that is much-needed by residents.

"This is a result of cuts to bus subsidies by the Government and does not make sense when people should be encouraged to take public transport."

The council is looking into the possibility of a replacement service for this area.

South Oxhey councillor Steve Cox is concerned that a direct link from South Oxhey to Abbots Langley, as well as from Abbots Langley to Rickmansworth, has been lost as a result of these changes.

What have Arriva said?

A spokesperson for the bus operator told the Observer: "Arriva is fully committed to providing the best possible bus services to communities across the region. The decision to undertake limited changes to services in Hertfordshire is in direct response to reduced passenger demand.

"Throughout the pandemic we have operated a regular, high frequency timetable in the region and we now need to make focused adjustments to some of our services as travel patterns have changed, including with more home working.

"We’ve strived to ensure customer journeys are impacted as little as possible, this includes a number of services benefitting from higher frequencies, for example.

"Customers will be able to find out latest information on their routes & services by visiting www.arrivabus.co.uk."

The spokesperson was unable to comment on whether any jobs will be lost as a result of these changes.