Money for five bus routes could be cut after a “secret decision” by the County Council to cease funding.

Liberal Democrat councillors have accused Conservative-run Hertfordshire County Council of deciding to axe subsidies for five routes in Hertfordshire without debating it.

The five routes affected are the 107 Edgware Station to New Barnet Station service, the 142 Watford Junction to Brent Cross Shopping Centre, the 258 Watford Junction to South Harrow Station, the 292 Borehamwood Rossington Avenue to Colindale Asda Store and the 298 Potters Bar Cranbourne Road to Arnos Grove Station.

Currently, the authority shares funding of the services with Transport for London (TFL).

But according to a letter seen by the Watford Observer, the county council told Transport for London on December 18 that it was not in a position to continue funding the services.

TFL Figures show that between the 2014 and 2015 financial year, 1,250,287 people used the 142 service and 810,053 travellers used the 258 route.

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst said: “The letter is very clear that the county council has decided to ceases the funding and is not even negotiating to save these routes.

“The county council officers have also confirmed that there is no member or council decision on this and the matter has not been agreed by panel.

“This looks like officers and the Conservatives have made a secret closed door decision to cut the funding and tried to hide it.”

The county council defended the move, saying the money was a small proportion of the budget these routes.

Cllr Derrick Ashley, Hertfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We currently provide £390,000 to Transport for London (TfL) each year to subsidise five bus routes serving a small number of southern Hertfordshire destinations.

“While this is a modest amount of money for TfL, it is a large sum for Hertfordshire taxpayers.

“For the five services subsidised by Hertfordshire County Council, TfL has an annual budget of £11.3m with the council’s subsidy amounting to just four per cent of their total costs.

“The company also operated a further 11 routes into Hertfordshire that we do not contribute to.

“Like many other authorities outside London, we feel that in the current economic climate this level of subsidy for commercial bus services is no longer justifiable.

“Out three-year agreement with TfL expires in April 2016 and we have informed TfL that we are considering withdrawing the support.

“We are waiting for their response and we hope an amicable solution can be found that has minimal impact on these important bus links.”

County officers are claiming members will be consulted and that the matter will be considered by the Environment and Transport Panel in March, according to Cllr Giles-Medhurst.

He said: “But that is a month after the council sets its budget and, clearly from the letter, they are not providing this money for these routes so the decision has been made.”

Opposition parties have set up petitions to save the two Watford bus routes, with hundreds of residents pledging their support in a matter of hours.

Cllr Nigel Bell, Watford Labour group leader, has said: "I have been inundated with calls from people frightened by the consequences of losing these vital bus services.

"We are determined to campaign to save these routes from closure."

Cllr Giles-Medhurst has now questioned the legality of the letter about the cuts with the county council.

He said: “I believe the council has acted illegally by saying a decision has been made when there has been no debate on the subject and immorally trying to hide this cut and letter from elected councillors.”