Nearly £30 million of funding has been given to improve bus services in Hertfordshire.

The Department for Transport has awarded £29.7 million after Hertfordshire County Council applied for cash to deliver new transport schemes and initiatives.

The council published its Bus Service Improvement Plan in November which set out its vision to improve services across the county, identifying key areas such as greater bus frequencies, simpler fares and ticketing and more real time information.

Watford Observer:

It comes after the council has had to step in to save at least two services in recent weeks - Metroline's 84 route between St Albans and Potters Bar, as well working to retain a service in The Harebreaks and Leggatts Way areas of North Watford due to the loss of Arriva's 8 service.

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

A petition to stop Arriva 'carving up' other services has reached nearly 700 signatures. Arriva says it is making changes in "direct response to reduced passenger demand".

See more: Hundreds petition opposing Arriva's bus route changes

The council says its officers will now be reviewing and prioritising the proposals before confirming how the council intends to spend the money and receiving final details of the award.

Watford Observer:

Mark Kemp, executive director of environment and transport at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have secured this funding, which will make a massive difference to bus services throughout the county.

"We are committed to making Hertfordshire a cleaner, greener county and public transport is at the heart of our plans. We want a strong bus network that is reliable, efficient and passenger focused and this money will help us achieve ambitions."

It was also recently announced Hertfordshire has secured £5.6m of Zero Emission Bus Regional Area) funding to introduce 27 electric buses but they will all operate in the Stevenage area.