Elderly and disabled residents in Bushey claim they have been left isolated since two popular bus services in the village were axed.

Hertfordshire County Council announced in February it would be cancelling some services and altering routes to hundreds of journeys in a bid to save £1.4million.

The W7 and W9 services, which took passengers from Bushey to The Harlequin shopping centre, in Watford, and a parade of shops in Bushey Heath, were both cancelled under the cost-cutting measures.

An alternative route, the 550, was introduced by Arriva, which runs the bus service on behalf of the county council, but residents claim its remote drop-off points are causing them considerable inconvenience.

Diana Burton, 64, of Barley Close, is registered disabled and relies on the bus service to get to St Peter's Church, where she has been a church army sister for more than five years.

She said: "We have a lot further to walk now and, while it is not so bad in this weather, it will be a real struggle to get about in the winter. I need a frame to walk and it just takes me so much longer."

Previous routes would drop passengers off in High Road, Bushey Heath, just yards from the shops, but the nearest stop on the new service is Elstree Road, nearly half a mile from the parade.

Meanwhile, the previous service into Watford would stop yards from the doors of The Harlequin, in Lower High Street, while the new route drops passengers at Tesco Extra, an additional 0.3-mile walk.

Margaret Mabbitt, of Meadow Road, who is also registered disabled, said: "I can't get into Watford as often as I would like to and, when I do, I'm worn out when I get there. I think the elderly and disabled residents are losing out - they need to reinstate the old services."

Hertfordshire County Council claims alterations have only been made to bus routes that "were not used very much or could be covered by another service.

Councillor Anita Gamble (Bushey St James, Liberal Democrat), a member of Hertsmere Borough Council, said: "For me it is a very disappointing situation. People with disabilities and elderly residents should not be expected to walk these distances - it is very poor."

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