A petition against cuts to bus services received more than 200 signatures in a week.

More than 50 services across the county - including Potters Bar and Borehamwood - are under threat after Hertfordshire County Council announced plans to cut £700,000 from subsidised bus services.

The move will mean the council will only fund routes until 6.30pm from Monday to Saturday and will also withdraw funding for all Sunday services.

County councillor Leon Reefe and Hertsmere borough councillor Richard Butler set up an online petition last Thursday in response to the consultation, which has now received more than 200 signatures from people across the county.

Cllr Reefe said: “If these cuts happen many people will be left stranded, communities across districts will be cut off from each other and it will be very difficult to travel across the county at times when most people would expect a bus service.

“We hope that people will see this petition and sign, because the council need to see that we do not want these services to stop.”

A number of services in Borehamwood may be affected, including the B3, 306 and 658, which are funded in part by the county council. In Potters Bar, the 242 service could also be hit by the cuts.

Regular bus passenger Lawrence Stack said he was very concerned by the plans. He said: “I had to go down to the library to fill out the consultation because they told me they’re not releasing paper copies. But the 306 is my local bus service and that’s what they’re trying to cut. 

“They’ve not made it clear what will happen after 6.30pm - I had to phone up and wait around to find out that the last bus from Watford will be at 5.38pm, which is not practical for anyone.”

The council said that children entitled to free travel to and from school will continue to receive transport. Concessionary fares will remain in place for young and older people.

The consultation can be completed online here and will end on October 8. The petition can be found here.