An hourly bus service to reconnect High Barnet with Potters Bar might be up and running by September following a decision by Hertsmere Borough Council to provide funding for the route.

Following the withdrawal early last year of the Transport for London 84 bus service from New Barnet to Potters Bar and St Albans, there has been mounting anger and desperation among elderly residents, especially those with hospital appointments.

Without a direct service between High Barnet and Potters Bar, bus passengers have been forced to take roundabout journeys to reach either Barnet Hospital or the Potters Bar Community Hospital.

Hadley Highstone residents have been equally aggrieved with no bus service connection to High Barnet town centre.

Sherry Billings (above right) a leading member of the 84 bus campaign said the breakthrough was due to the perseverance of Hertsmere Borough councillor Nik Oakley, who is the council’s executive member for transport and who had marshalled their case from the start.

Councillor Oakley has told the campaign that Hertsmere has agreed to fund a replacement service.

Hertfordshire County Council’s integrated transport unit has already prepared a proposed route and timetable and will now seek tenders from potential operators.

If possible, the new service would start in September and the aim is to provide a circular route that would take an hour to complete.

It would start at Potters Bar rail station with stops at Potters Bar Community Hospital, Hadley Highstone, High Barnet town centre, High Barnet tube station, and Barnet Hospital.

“This is fantastic news,” said Sherry Billings.

“Hopefully a bus will leave Potters Bar rail station every hour.

“This will be a lifeline both for Potters Bar residents trying to get to Barnet Hospital and High Barnet residents visiting Potters Bar Community Hospital and its Moorfields eye unit.

“What is so important is that bus passes will be accepted, and we understand the borough council is ready to meet 100 per cent of the cost if necessary.”

A promise to fund a replacement service was an election pledge by Labour who with the support of the Liberal Democrats took control of Hertsmere in the council elections in May when the Conservatives had to hand over power after losing 13 seats.

When Metroline ceased running the 84 from New Barnet station, Hertfordshire stepped in to help finance a replacement bus service on the northerly section of the route between Potters Bar and St Albans which is being operated Sullivan Buses.

But the New Barnet to Potters Bar section was deemed to be no longer commercially viable.

Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, said Hertsmere’s decision to provide funding to restore the 84 between High Barnet and Potters Bar was great news for her constituents.

“There may well be some further hurdles to be got over before we can be confident that the lost service is definitely on the way back.

“I will continue to do all I can to make sure that happens,” said Ms Villiers who joined campaigners at a protest demonstration at The Spires in April.

In support of the campaign she met Transport Minister Richard Holden who assured her there was flexibility in government funding to finance the reinstatement of vital bus routes.

Ms Billings said the campaigners are now confident that a replacement will be up and running by the end of the year.

The route of the bus from High Barnet tube station would then be to turn right into Underhill, along Mays Lane, up Manor Road and into Wood Street before terminating at Barnet Hospital.

Councillor Oakley told the Barnet Society that TfL had agreed to waive the three month application period for the requirement for a London service permit for a bus route that would operate within the Greater London Boundary.

Apparently Hertsmere acknowledges that this circular route and hourly service might be considered a quick fix solution and hopes that once it is up and running perhaps TfL might consider a joint approach.

Hertfordshire – which is providing £60,000 a year to help fund the Potters Bar to St Albans service – had always said it would consider supporting the Potters Bar to High Barnet section if TfL contributed but no offer was forthcoming.

The county council had supplied Hertsmere with advice on timetabling and costings and was ready to work with TfL in the future.