MP for Barnet, Theresa Villiers, has welcomed the news that a bus service between Potters Bar and Barnet will return on 4th September.
This part of the 84 bus route was stopped in April last year after the bus operator, Metroline, concluded it was not commercially viable and no public funds could be found to support it. Alongside her constituents and her colleague Oliver Dowden MP, Ms Villiers has been campaigning ever since to bring back the route.
The creation of a new 84B service between Potters Bar Community Hospital and Barnet Hospital was confirmed after a vote at a special meeting of Hertsmere Council this evening.
Responding to the vote, Theresa Villiers said "It is great news that the 84 route between Potters Bar and Barnet will be restored. I know how important this is to my constituents which is why I have been doing all I can to bring back the service."
"I have been lobbying TfL and Hertsmere and Hertfordshire councils on this, as well as appealing to Transport Minister Richard Holden to help. I thank both Herts and Hertsmere for their efforts to find a solution. There has been a determined cross-party campaign to save the 84 service to Barnet. I am especially grateful to Hertsmere Council for providing funds to operate the new 84B bus through its first twelve months."
"Now we need to secure long term funding to ensure the service is maintained into the future. I will keep up the campaign to do that. It will also be vital to get passenger numbers up. It's a case of 'use-it-or-lose-it. So I encourage as many constituents as possible to use this new bus service."
