JANUARY

Former Watford FC manager Graham Taylor died on January 12, 2017, at the age of 72. Taylor was a successful and much-loved manager at Watford FC, where a stand at Vicarage Road carries his name. He was coach of the England team from 1990 to 1993 and went on to become a commentator and pundit, but continued to have links with the club and attend community events in the town.

January also saw more than 1,600 Watford people call for Watford train stations to be included in the Transport for London zoning system to reduce the price of rail fares. With the new Croxley Rail Link in the early stages of construction at the start of the year, elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said she felt it was an the opportune moment to demand that TfL considers bringing both the existing Watford stations and those planned for the future into Zone 6.

A mother spoke of her devastation after her daughter died having fallen ill at school. Zara Witherall, eight, was at Bovingdon Primary Academy, in Bovingdon, on January 18 when she suffered an aneurism.

And after 20 years of campaigning by a rail users group, the running hours of the Abbey Line between Watford and St Albans were extended later into the evening. The last departure from Watford Junction became 10.21pm from Monday to Saturday, and 11.04pm on Sunday. The last departure from St Albans Abbey changed to 10.42pm from Monday to Saturday, and 11.26pm on Sunday.