Arriva (Beds, Bucks, Herts)

[Mark L]

Absolutely - the 724 is a selection of overlapping flows in the main, and probably few people spend much more than 30-45 mins on there....except the driver!

The same can probably be said for most “local” bus routes of this length.

Harlow to Heathrow by rail takes around one and a half hours with a relatively straightforward (and step free) change at Liverpool Street. The 724 takes over twice as long (on a good day). I know which one I’d choose for an end to end journey!

 

[duncombec]

I see Arriva have put out another set of cuts in the Watford/Hemel area, making the 322 a near useless route.

Surely it can't continue for longer in this form

I'm aware the corridor isn't the most heavily used but the downgrade in service provison from a few years ago on the A411 between Watford and Hemel on the ex500 is remarkable

Unless you can see something I can't, the only change in the area appears to be to the 322.

According to the Watford Observer, the company say the evening & Sunday service was previously provided under Herts CC support, which they kept going after that support was withdrawn, but it still isn't covering its costs.

 

[Budge1980]

Especially on Sundays, where I think the Hemel to Watford options left would be the 20, taking twice as long, or the train, which is less convenient for a lot of Hemel and Watford.

Red Rose offer the 501 on a Sunday, admittedly starting later and finishing earlier than the 322. This has existed for over 20 years on a similar route to the 322 between Watford and Hemel.

 

[philjo]

Some changes coming in North Herts from 30 August.
Direct buses 55/56 Letchworth-Stevenage will only be hourly on Saturdays.
Baldock-Hitchin now only covered Monday-Saturday by the Buntingford buses, though there are also trains albeit with a walk at the Hitchin end in to the town centre.

https://www.intalink.org.uk/august-2026

55 Stevenage to Letchworth
Arriva
Timetable change. Service frequency will be reduced to an hourly service. New service 56 will replace journeys between Letchworth, Graveley and Stevenage. (Please see service change 56).
From 30.08.26.

56 Hitchin to Stevenage
Arriva
New service route number. New service will operate Mondays to Fridays between Stevenage, Graveley, Jackman’s Estate, Letchworth town centre and Hitchin. Service combined with service number 55 will provide two buses an hour Mondays to Fridays between Stevenage, Graveley, Jackman’s Estate and Letchworth. New direct link between Jackman's Estate and Hitchin.
From 30.08.26.


97/97A/97B Hitchin to Stotfold
Arriva
Timetable change. No change to service frequency. Timetable changes to reflect wider service changes in August.
From 30.08.26.

98 Hitchin to Baldock
Arriva
Timetable change. Service will now operate on Sundays only. Letchworth to Baldock is covered by route service numbers 91 and 92. Hitchin to Letchworth is covered by new service route 56. (Please see service change 56).
From 30.08.26

 

[Ediswan]

I have just received, with the post, a printed flyer for the SB1, advertising an improved 15 minute peak service. It includes a route map and 'main stops' timetable. I can't recall the last flyer from Arriva.

The oddity is that my area is on the SB2/SB3/SB7 routes, not SB1.

 

[riceuten]

I have just received, with the post, a printed flyer for the SB1, advertising an improved 15 minute peak service. It includes a route map and 'main stops' timetable. I can't recall the last flyer from Arriva.

The oddity is that my area is on the SB2/SB3/SB7 routes, not SB1.

I suspect the enhanced service will only last as long as it takes to dislodge Stagecoach

 

[Deerfold]

Some changes coming in North Herts from 30 August.
Direct buses 55/56 Letchworth-Stevenage will only be hourly on Saturdays.
Baldock-Hitchin now only covered Monday-Saturday by the Buntingford buses, though there are also trains albeit with a walk at the Hitchin end in to the town centre.

https://www.intalink.org.uk/august-2026

So Hitchin to Letchworth drops to only 2 buses an hour? That's some severe cuts, slowly. When I was living there 18 years ago that was every 10 minutes (and half hourly until 11pm).

 

[philjo]

So Hitchin to Letchworth drops to only 2 buses an hour? That's some severe cuts, slowly. When I was living there 18 years ago that was every 10 minutes (and half hourly until 11pm).

It has been like that for some time. On Saturdays since November 2025 when the 98 ceased on Saturdays it has been hourly (97 Stotfold service).
There are also the Stevenage-Buntingford buses at certain times. but they are not very regular. Baldock will now only have the The 91 Royston-Ashwell -Letchworth, the 92 Baldock-Stevenage and the 37 Buntingford buses Mon-Sat. The Arriva 98 will still run to Baldock on Sundays when the other services don’t operate.

looking at the timetable for the new 56 service on the Arriva website unless some services were missing the first bus towards Hitchin leaves Letchworth at 10am on weekdays ! Though that timetable has been removed since I looked at it.

When I used the bus home from school in 1980s it was every 10 minutes Hitchin-Letchworth with alternate buses coming from Luton.

 

[Voyager 2953]

First of the E400 City’s is in Milton Keynes with a few Pulsars headed the other way.

 

[Failed Unit]

I was shocked to see a 26 place (YY26NTC) ADL Enviro200 MMC on the 301 Stevenage - St Albans service today. I think this is the first time I have ever seen a new bus on this route. I assume it is on loan?

 

[duncombec]

I was shocked to see a 26 place (YY26NTC) ADL Enviro200 MMC on the 301 Stevenage - St Albans service today. I think this is the first time I have ever seen a new bus on this route. I assume it is on loan?

It's part of a new batch of vehicles currently in delivery to Stevenage.

Rather like the 400s at Ware which were originally expected at Maidstone, part of this batch was expected at Gillingham (the other part was for Stevenage, now the totality). There should be 18 in total.

 

[Failed Unit]

I think that is the first time Stevenage has ever had new buses since I have lived in the area. Very nice surprise.

 

[Edvid]

It's part of a new batch of vehicles currently in delivery to Stevenage.

That explains why I spotted one of them on the 101 at Luton Airport today. Thought the ex-Fastrack E200MMCs had returned until I looked at the number plate!

 

[Budge1980]

For a follower of Arriva, Stevenage is an interesting town to follow.

Firm pulls out of £6.1 electric bus scheme for Stevenage

Arriva will not run government electric buses scheme in Hertfordshire, blaming low passenger numbers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Plenty of alternative sources but this article from the BBC chows how Arriva (old owners) pulled out of electrifying the garage as not worthy - not enough demand. In one article, Arriva mentioned remaining committed to Stevenage...

Green Line brand used by Arriva to mark 724 diamond anniversary - routeone

Arriva has marked the 60th anniversary of route 724 between Harlow and Heathrow Airport by painting a bus into 1960s-era Green Line livery.

www.route-one.net

Again, plenty of other sources but they suggest Arriva have received funding from Heathrow Airport to support the intro of new buses on the 725 to Stevenage so may be even more new buses appearing in Stevenage. Volvo's to go with the Enviro 200s.

 

[Simon75]

I think that is the first time Stevenage has ever had new buses since I have lived in the area. Very nice surprise.

Leyland Nationals the last time ?

 

[darloscott]

For a follower of Arriva, Stevenage is an interesting town to follow.

Firm pulls out of £6.1 electric bus scheme for Stevenage

Arriva will not run government electric buses scheme in Hertfordshire, blaming low passenger numbers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Plenty of alternative sources but this article from the BBC chows how Arriva (old owners) pulled out of electrifying the garage as not worthy - not enough demand. In one article, Arriva mentioned remaining committed to Stevenage...

Green Line brand used by Arriva to mark 724 diamond anniversary - routeone

Arriva has marked the 60th anniversary of route 724 between Harlow and Heathrow Airport by painting a bus into 1960s-era Green Line livery.

www.route-one.net

Again, plenty of other sources but they suggest Arriva have received funding from Heathrow Airport to support the intro of new buses on the 725 to Stevenage so may be even more new buses appearing in Stevenage. Volvo's to go with the Enviro 200s.

Yes the 724 and 725 both have new Evoras on order, as do Luton with another batch there.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

For a follower of Arriva, Stevenage is an interesting town to follow.

Firm pulls out of £6.1 electric bus scheme for Stevenage

Arriva will not run government electric buses scheme in Hertfordshire, blaming low passenger numbers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Plenty of alternative sources but this article from the BBC chows how Arriva (old owners) pulled out of electrifying the garage as not worthy - not enough demand. In one article, Arriva mentioned remaining committed to Stevenage...

Green Line brand used by Arriva to mark 724 diamond anniversary - routeone

Arriva has marked the 60th anniversary of route 724 between Harlow and Heathrow Airport by painting a bus into 1960s-era Green Line livery.

www.route-one.net

Again, plenty of other sources but they suggest Arriva have received funding from Heathrow Airport to support the intro of new buses on the 725 to Stevenage so may be even more new buses appearing in Stevenage. Volvo's to go with the Enviro 200s.

Think you have to put this in context. The decision from Arriva not to invest in Stevenage was early 2023 when passenger numbers were still depressed and, more importantly, they had a massive squeeze on capital investment because their then owners (DB) were in a financial hole.

Investment in new vehicles, midlife purchases and refurbs is going apace to try to rectify the mess it was in. As an aside, I was in Harlow recently and whilst not perfect, the state of the fleet was appreciably better than in recent years.

 

[Mark L]

For a follower of Arriva, Stevenage is an interesting town to follow.

Firm pulls out of £6.1 electric bus scheme for Stevenage

Arriva will not run government electric buses scheme in Hertfordshire, blaming low passenger numbers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Plenty of alternative sources but this article from the BBC chows how Arriva (old owners) pulled out of electrifying the garage as not worthy - not enough demand. In one article, Arriva mentioned remaining committed to Stevenage...

Green Line brand used by Arriva to mark 724 diamond anniversary - routeone

Arriva has marked the 60th anniversary of route 724 between Harlow and Heathrow Airport by painting a bus into 1960s-era Green Line livery.

www.route-one.net

Again, plenty of other sources but they suggest Arriva have received funding from Heathrow Airport to support the intro of new buses on the 725 to Stevenage so may be even more new buses appearing in Stevenage. Volvo's to go with the Enviro 200s.

The article mentions a partnership with Heathrow. It doesn’t mention financial support.

 

[riceuten]

Think you have to put this in context. The decision from Arriva not to invest in Stevenage was early 2023 when passenger numbers were still depressed and, more importantly, they had a massive squeeze on capital investment because their then owners (DB) were in a financial hole.

Investment in new vehicles, midlife purchases and refurbs is going apace to try to rectify the mess it was in. As an aside, I was in Harlow recently and whilst not perfect, the state of the fleet was appreciably better than in recent years.

Having lived in Stevenage for the last 20-odd years and seen the slow descent of the service provided by Arriva, I'll reserve judgement on the effectiveness of the new buses, not least because, as I recall, they still don't have enough drivers to provide the timetabled service - a service that is a shadow of what it was like when I first moved here in any case.

I still won't leave the house before I've checked whether the bus I am scheduled to catch is actually running - something I would never have done in the early 2000s, as there were sufficient buses (not least because bustimes dot org didn't exist!).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Having lived in Stevenage for the last 20-odd years and seen the slow descent of the service provided by Arriva, I'll reserve judgement on the effectiveness of the new buses, not least because, as I recall, they still don't have enough drivers to provide the timetabled service - a service that is a shadow of what it was like when I first moved here in any case.

I still won't leave the house before I've checked whether the bus I am scheduled to catch is actually running - something I would never have done in the early 2000s, as there were sufficient buses (not least because bustimes dot org didn't exist!).

The last time I was in Stevenage, the state of the fleet was deplorable. I can't say what it's like now, and I think Arriva Southern Counties has long been the poorest of the OpCos. However, there is investment appearing in many corners and the Harlow fleet (which was appalling) looked better than it had for a while.

That said, and I was raising concerns with Arriva before it was fashionable, the decline has been pronounced over the last 10 years and some of that is irrecoverable. Some of it was beyond redemption (e.g. Wycombe, Cheshire) and they'll be more bumps in the road whilst they sort that business out

 

[riceuten]

The last time I was in Stevenage, the state of the fleet was deplorable. I can't say what it's like now, and I think Arriva Southern Counties has long been the poorest of the OpCos. However, there is investment appearing in many corners and the Harlow fleet (which was appalling) looked better than it had for a while.

I didn't even realise the bus I caught was new - I just noticed the new seats and thought "Ooh, that's nice" and assumed the bus had been refurbished

That said, and I was raising concerns with Arriva before it was fashionable, the decline has been pronounced over the last 10 years and some of that is irrecoverable. Some of it was beyond redemption (e.g. Wycombe, Cheshire) and they'll be more bumps in the road whilst they sort that business out

It gave all the appearance of someone in a distant office making decisions that made sense - vaguely - financially, but were bonkers otherwise.

An example was a decision to cut a Stevenage route (the SB4/SB5) running through an area (Bedwell) that had lots of parking issues and to add to a route that was doing OK SB7, but doing so meant that the SB7 no longer passed the train station, where lots of its passengers would disembark from the train coming from London. Meaning less and less people caught the bus, so they have now cut the service levels as a consequence.

 

[DarloRich]

The last time I was in Stevenage, the state of the fleet was deplorable.

it is pretty bad in Milton Keynes - the arriva buses are so grotty. Yet when I travel on arriva in Leeds and Wakefield the buses are clean and tidy both internally and externally.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

it is pretty bad in Milton Keynes - the arriva buses are so grotty. Yet when I travel on arriva in Leeds and Wakefield the buses are clean and tidy both internally and externally.

Totally agree - was in the fair city yesterday and whilst I didn't see many, the ones I did see looked grubby though I didn't see anything like this (photo David Heath - April 2026).



Or this from Jonathan Gallagher...



It's possibly the worst Arriva depot so a lot to do.

 

[Mwanesh]

I think that is the first time Stevenage has ever had new buses since I have lived in the area. Very nice surprise.

The last brand new busses for Stevenage were the 2 delivered in 2012. KX12HAE an Enviro 300 and KX12HAA a VDL Pulsar just checked my garage photos. 14 years of getting cast offs

 

[Simon75]

Having lived in Stevenage for the last 20-odd years and seen the slow descent of the service provided by Arriva, I'll reserve judgement on the effectiveness of the new buses, not least because, as I recall, they still don't have enough drivers to provide the timetabled service - a service that is a shadow of what it was like when I first moved here in any case.

I still won't leave the house before I've checked whether the bus I am scheduled to catch is actually running - something I would never have done in the early 2000s, as there were sufficient buses (not least because bustimes dot org didn't exist!).

Hasn't Arriva upgraded and expanded Stevenage garage, and closed the other one down?
Is it the old London Country garage?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Hasn't Arriva upgraded and expanded Stevenage garage, and closed the other one down?
Is it the old London Country garage?

No - that was demolished c.1991

There were two depots - the former LDT/Shires depot at Norton Green which was leased and has now been demolished/redeveloped. The other was the former Jubilee/Sovereign depot at Babbage Road that they've now acquired the unit next door and expanded into, though they did have an interim solution in parking vehicles round the corner.

 

[Mwanesh]

No - that was demolished c.1991

There were two depots - the former LDT/Shires depot at Norton Green which was leased and has now been demolished/redeveloped. The other was the former Jubilee/Sovereign depot at Babbage Road that they've now acquired the unit next door and expanded into, though they did have an interim solution in parking vehicles round the corner.

Were they not using the site next to Mercedes Benz as storage. I need to go down that area again

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Were they not using the site next to Mercedes Benz as storage. I need to go down that area again

That was the interim parking area I mentioned

 

[Mwanesh]

That was the interim parking area I mentioned

Thanks for the info