Hertsmere Council says future of 84B bus route is ‘secure’

Hertsmere cabinet member says the route between Potters Bar and Barnet is now a “priority route” for Hertfordshire County Council reports Christopher Day, Local Democracy Reporter

Hertsmere Council leader Jeremy Newmark with the 84B bus — Hertsmere Council leader Cllr Jeremy Newmark with the 84B Potters Bar to Barnet bus. (Credit: Will Durrant/LDRS)

Ongoing funding for the 84B bus route between Potters Bar and Barnet is “secure”, Hertsmere Borough Council’s transport chief has said

Cllr Nik Oakley told the council’s cabinet on Wednesday (2nd April) that the service “has proven itself to the extent that the county council now see it as a priority route”.

She added that the route has “secure funding from September”, details of which were not revealed in the public part of the meeting.

Since its September 2023 inception, the route has been subsidised by Hertsmere Borough Council using cash from a charge on development known as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), with almost £250,000 dedicated to the service since then.

But the CIL funding – topped up by money from Hertfordshire County Council, the authority responsible for transport – had only been planned as a stop-gap measure, and the future of the route appeared uncertain, with Barnet Council and Transport for London declining to contribute funding.

In the almost two years since the route launched, council officers said there has been a rise in passenger numbers, with an average of around 150 transactions each day. Revenue has averaged almost £7,000 each month, peaking at more than £9,000 in November 2024.

Forty per cent of passengers pay for those tickets, while 21 per cent are elderly and 13 per cent are children. Almost five per cent of those using the service have a disability.

Cllr Oakley confirmed that CIL funding would continue until the end of August, “when the new operation will actually start”.

The leader of the council, Jeremy Newmark, said: “This is excellent news to know that the route is going to continue moving forward.

“I’m delighted that a solution has been found to ensure the route will continue with no additional expenditure from ourselves.”

Leader of the Conservative opposition group, Morris Bright, said it is “good news” that the route will continue but added it was “disappointing” that Barnet Council and Transport for London had opted not to contribute towards the costs of the route.

The route currently runs Monday to Saturday between 5.50am and 7.10pm, and filled the gap left after changes to the previous 84 bus route.

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

ACT NOW!

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.