A new on-demand bus service will operate in Watford from March next year.

Watford Borough Council is striving to make the town more sustainable and less congested, and alongside a bike hire scheme, mayor Peter Taylor is introducing a flexible minibus service.

It won't work like your normal bus service - in fact there will be no bus stops at all.

Instead, passengers can call for a minibus at the touch of a button and like a taxi, you will be taken to your doorstep or destination.

There is a catch though.

Fellow passengers may not be going the same way as you, so although the minibus takes you exactly where you want to go, they may be ahead of you in the queue, therefore making your journey a little bit longer.

But you'll only ever pay for the length of your requested journey.

Watford Observer:

Photo credit: Simon Jacobs

Seven 15-seater minibuses will run around the whole borough, as well as Croxley Park and Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden.

Each bus will have seating, tables, free wifi, USB charges, and air conditioning.

The buses, which will be delivered by ArrivaClick, are fully accessible, with front kerbside double door access and a low-level fold-out wheelchair ramp. Passengers can pre-register as a wheelchair user. There will also be space for pushchairs.

Journey prices will range from £1 to £2.50 per mile, while weekly passes will also be available.

The service, which will come into force in March 2020, will run Monday to Thursday 6am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 6am to 11pm and on Sundays from 8am to 9pm.

Journeys can be booked via the ArrivaClick smartphone app but there will also be an online and telephone service.

The council says the minibus service will provide an "effective and carbon efficient way" for people to get around town without using a car.

Asiya Jelani, business development director for ArrivaClick, said: "We’re delighted to bring truly flexible, demand responsive shared transport to residents and visitors in Watford, which will provide improved connectivity between main transport hubs such as Watford Junction and local points of interest."