Angry Potters Bar residents joined forces to form a mass protest to promote their campaign for the restoration of the 84 bus service between Potters Bar and New Barnet which was withdrawn by Transport for London last year.

Many of those waving their banners were in their 70s and 80s and they are furious at having to face a three-hour round bus journey via Cockfosters to get to Barnet Hospital or alternatively have to stump up £20.50 for a taxi there and back.

“We are all so fed up with what has happened over the way we lost the 84 bus,” said protest organiser Sherry Billings (right) standing beside a bus stop on Barnet Road, Potters Bar, with a sign which no bus passenger ever wants to read:

“Please note: This bus stop is currently not served by any local passenger buses.”

Ms Billings has amassed nearly 1,000 signatures backing their campaign.

They hope their public demonstration, staged by the bus stop that used to serve Potters Bar Community Hospital, will help to persuade two local Conservative MPs, Theresa Villiers of Chipping Barnet, and Oliver Dowden of Hertsmere, to convince TfL that there would be demand for a restored service.

Barry Rawlings, the Labour leader of Barnet Council, has given his backing to the restoration of a bus service between High Barnet and Potters Bar.

After meeting TfL, he understands that there is a possibility that one of the

existing bus routes terminating at The Spires might be extended to Potters Bar.

The 84 service was withdrawn when TfL axed the route between New Barnet and St Albans.

Sullivan Buses has taken over the Potters Bar to St Albans section but the loss of buses on the section from Barnet to Potters Bar has caused massive disruption for patients travelling to and from the Potters Bar Community Hospital, Barnet Hospital, and Finchley Memorial Hospital.

One reason for the fury of Potters Bar residents is that empty buses pass regularly along the Barnet Road, to and from the TfL bus garage in Potters Bar and the various points where routes terminate in High Barnet.

During their half hour demonstration four empty buses sailed past their abandoned bus stop – each “out of service” bus attracted the growing ire of the protesters.

Ms Billings said the difficulties facing elderly residents in Potters Bar accessing Barnet Hospital will be even worse when the expansion of the ultra-low emissions zone to the outer London boroughs takes effect in August.

“Residents with older cars will be unable able to drive to the hospital unless they pay the charge of £12.50 a day.”

Among those most hard one by are the blind and the partially sighted.

John Buffield (left) who is registered blind, said the lack of bus to Barnet was a great loss – seen here with his wife Moira Buffield, and Marion Cant, who is registered as having severe sight loss.

Mrs Joyce Rose said trying to get to Barnet Hospital was a nightmare. “I either have to get three buses and go via Cockfosters. It takes an hour an half there and the same back. A taxi costs me £10.25 each way.”

Mrs Kathleen Ford said that her husband John, who is 81, has to get to Finchley Memorial Hospital every four weeks for treatment.  “Now he has to get a taxi to The Spires so that he can connect with the Finchley Memorial Bus.”

Long-standing campaigners for the restoration of the 84 service have helped to organise the support of Hertsmere Borough Council.

Two councillors, Morris Bright and Jeremy Newmark, have pledged their support and Hertsmere has passed a motion urging Hertfordshire County Council to work with TfL to arrange a replacement service.

Barry Rawlings, Labour leader of Barnet Council, told the Barnet Society last December that he is hopeful TfL bus route planners will consider which existing service which terminates at The Spires might have its route extended to Potters Bar.

If agreement can be reached, there is every possibility a bus service to Potters Bar could be restored at the start of the new financial year in April.

The likeliest candidate is one of the three services currently terminating at The Spires:

234 Barnet Spires to Highgate Wood

326 Barnet Spires to Brent Cross

383 Barnet Spires to Finchley Memorial Hospital

Mr Rawlings said a priority was to provide a bus route to connect Barnet High Street to Hadley and Hadley Highstone and then on to the Potters Bar Community Hospital the other side of the M25 motorway where Barnet patients received treatment at a clinic held by Moorfield Eye Hospital.