A housing estate will have a temporary new bus service after campaigners convinced the county council to pay for it.

People living on the Meriden estate in Watford were with no bus after Arriva ditched its 324 service. In response the Liberal Democrats and Labour in Watford launched separate petitions to reinstate a bus to the estate.

Hertfordshire County Council agreed today to fund four new services to be run by Red Eagle. The W1 bus will run from Kingswood via the Meriden to Watford hourly at peak times from Monday to Friday. The W2 will run from the Meriden to the town centre from Monday to Friday hourly at off-peak hours.

The W3 and W4 will run on a Saturday every 30 minutes in opposite directions via the Meriden and Watford town centre. However the new services will only run for a period of six months, starting in October, while a permanent tender is agreed.

Watford Observer:

Labour also campaigned for a service

Meriden councillor Amanda Grimston presented her petition of almost 2,000 signatures to the county council.

She said: 'I'd like to thank the 2000 residents who have signed the petition, and those who have helped get their neighbours to support the campaign. This is a real victory for local residents.

"This service is a lifeline to people living on the Meriden estate and across North Watford.'

The Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor added: "I’m determined that Watford should have better bus services and that we do not cut vital local routes such as the 324. Councillor Amanda Grimston has worked tirelessly with local residents to fight for this bus service. I am relieved that we have managed to secure this temporary solution.

"Now we must work together to make sure that residents in the Meriden estate and across our town have bus services that they can depend on.”

Watford Labour also presented its own petition and Meriden team leader John Dowdle spoke at the meeting.

Watford Observer:

Cllr Asif Khan (left) and John Dowdle

Mr Dowdle said: "Overall, I believe residents in Meriden and Tudor wards will be relieved that the 324 service has not been completely cancelled. 

"The replacement is not like-for-like and there still remains a possibility of the route having to be reviewed again within the next six months.

"It would be good if residents made a concerted effort to support the new service in order to ensure that it remains in existence for the future."

Arriva’s new 520 service, which replaces the 324, will run between Maple Cross and Hemel Hempstead via Watford from September 30. It will not run through the Meriden.