Shenley Village

UPDATE FROM HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

• Following the lack of responses to the tender process, Officers have been unable to find an operator willing to take on the full service for the six week period until an operator takes over the service in mid-February. This is due to driver shortages and mobilisation issues over this short time period.
• However, the operator Red Rose Travel has agreed to operate a ‘slimmed-down’ timetable between 2nd January and February half term, after which the full timetable will operate.
• This service requires two buses rather than four, so the timetable will be more limited, but does provide journeys at key times of the day and reduces the need to provide for all entitled school movements on separate transport (attached is the timetable that will cover 2nd January to mid-February)
• However, Officers do need to consider services for students entitled to free transport to school as follows:
• HCC will need to cover the peak-hour service from St Albans to Borehamwood and 15.15 return. Officers are putting these journeys out to tender to see if there is operator interest with response by Friday 16th. This is a peak-hour journey into Borehamwood, so is likely to be popular and not just carry students. In the event there is no interest, officers will look to procuring the vehicles under contract required to take entitled students to various schools in Borehamwood.
• KWS is largely covered by existing bus routes on services 366 and 610 in the morning, but is likely to require duplication of bus service 811 for six weeks, particularly in the afternoons. Officers are approaching the operator concerned today.
• Sandringham School requirements are completely covered by the slimmed down timetable.
• Other entitled students can be accommodated on other local bus routes (e.g. the 84 between London Colney and St Albans), though some of these students may need to be re-ticketed. These students will be contacted individually, as required
• The normal timetable will recommence on the Sunday 12th February
• A notice will be placed on the Intalink website to confirm the new arrangements in due course and schools affected will also be contacted with the updated arrangements