Fresh cuts have been announced to a bus route that serves Watford's hospital and main train station.
A revised timetable will see evening and Sunday services axed on the 322, which runs between Hemel Hempstead and Rickmansworth's Berry Lane estate via several key stops in Watford.
The changes are set to come in from August 30 and marks the second summer in a row that the 322 has had its service altered after last year saw the route shortened and frequency changed from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes.
The latest changes have been criticised by the town's MP Matt Turmaine, who said: "I am writing to Arriva. Continuous cuts just make bus travel more difficult. This latest lot is on top of last year's cuts to the 322 which serves the hospital.
"I will also contact Herts County Council to see what plans, if any, they have to plug resulting gaps at short notice."
He said it demonstrates how the present "privatised bus free-for-all" does not work for passengers, with what makes money driving decisions.
He added: "The answer to this mess, haphazard hotchpot, is to change to franchising which allows councils to specify bus routes, fares, timetables and service standards, while operators would be contracted to run them."
In response, an Arriva South spokesperson said: "We understand that changes to bus services can be unwelcome news for some customers.
"From the end of August, we'll be removing the evening and Sunday journeys on the 322. Hertfordshire County Council previously provided wider funding support for the 322 service, which came to an end. Since then, we've tried to continue running the evening and Sunday journeys commercially, but passenger numbers have not been sufficient to cover the costs.
"We shared our plans with Hertfordshire County Council in advance, who confirmed that alternative services already in place are sufficient to meet that demand.
"We recognise the pressure this places on some customers and want to reassure people that daytime, Monday to Saturday services on the 322 continue as normal, including a service to Berry Lane Estate in Rickmansworth, which the county council has agreed to support with funding."
- Regularity of key Watford bus route to be halved during the day
- Early morning and late evening bus journeys through Watford axed
Other changes announced include the 602 bus from Hatfield to Watford now running two services an hour, while the additional Hatfield Business Park to St Albans journeys are being withdrawn.
Full list of confirmed changes (Watford routes in bold):
- 301 from Lister Hospital in Stevenage to St Peter's Street in St Albans - Revised timetable that seeks to "aid punctuality"
- 243 from Hatfield Business Park to Barnet Hospital - Revised route due to withdrawal of Service 242 between Potters Bar and Hatfield. The 243 bus will now once again serve De Havilland campus
- 302 from Marlowes in Hemel Hempstead to Welwyn Garden City - The timetable will change on Sundays to "aid punctuality" while the daytime services will be extended from Hatfield town centre to the Tesco store
- 322 from Hemel Hempstead to Rickmansworth via Watford - Evening journeys withdrawn or curtailed and Sunday service axed
- 602 from Hatfield to Watford - Service reverts to operate two buses an hour throughout the whole route with the additional Hatfield Business Park to St Albans journeys withdrawn
- 653 from St Albans to Welwyn Garden City - "Minor adjustments" to journeys throughout the timetable
- SB7 from Stevenage Bus Station - Monday to Saturday timetable reduced and Sunday service axed, while some early morning and late evening services will also be withdrawn
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