Passengers who rely on a scrapped hospital bus service have launched a petition to save it.

Arriva confirmed it will cut the 328 between Abbots Langley, Watford and Mount Vernon Hospital, in Northwood, on June 2 as running the route was “no longer financially sustainable”.

Although a replacement service is apparently being investigated, there will not be a replacement ready from June and there is no confirmation anything will be introduced in the future.

South Oxhey residents launched the petition last night (April 22) and it has already gathered 83 signatures by 10am today. It has also been shared among residents in areas across the route.

The petition says: “This bus service provides a service for people getting to and from Mount Vernon Hospital for treatment, getting to work, residents, travelling to Watford, especially the elderly, who find it invaluable to have such a bus service to rely on.

“Not everyone has a car and therefore to remove this bus service will be a great loss of a lifeline to many.”

The service was only introduced in November last year but replaced the parts of the 10, 508, and 9 bus routes that previously ran between Watford and Mount Vernon Hospital.

View the petition here

Arriva had acknowledged customers' disappointment when it axed the route and said it was "working hard" with the council to find a new option.

A spokesperson said: “We are having to make this change because sadly passenger numbers have failed to recover post-pandemic and the route is no longer financially sustainable.

"This is exacerbated by a shortage of drivers in the area which further adds to the costs.”

They apologised to customers, adding Arriva "shares their hope that an alternative option can be found”.

The 328 runs every 30 minutes between Watford Junction and Mount Vernon Hospital, via Bushey, South Oxhey, Carpenders Park, and Northwood. It extends to Leavesden and Abbots Langley hourly.

On Sundays it runs between Watford Junction and Mount Vernon Hospital only.