Grandmother losing eyesight calls for return of Potters Bar bus route

Sallie Rose bought her house to the north of Potters Bar almost four years ago and thought that – when the time came to give up her car – she could rely on the 84 bus to see her daughter and grandchildren in Hadley Highstone, Barnet.

But Sallie’s plans changed on April 1 last year when Metroline decided to shut down the service – which was launched 111 years ago in 1912.

Hertfordshire County Council stepped in to save the route between St Albans and Potters Bar, but there’s a missing link southbound – which leaves a hospital and a Greater London street without any bus services.

Without a bus to Barnet, Sallie fears having to sell her home to be near the London Underground, hospitals and her family.

Sallie fears she may need to move to be closer to hospitals. (Image: Will Durrant/LDRS)

“They’ve turned a 20-minute bus journey into a two-hour one,” Sallie said.

“I have a degenerative eye condition, so when I bought my house I knew I was going to be losing my eyesight.

“Having the 84 in Potters Bar, I knew I could get to my daughter in Hadley Highstone.

“But withdrawing the route to Barnet means I cannot carry on living in my home. I won’t be able to drive much longer.

“It’s at least £20 for a cab to Barnet, so if I want to see my daughter and granddaughter or travel into Greater London, it’s about £40 per journey.”

Sallie added: “I got involved with this campaign because it affects people in my situation – as well as people who want to attend Moorfields Eye Hospital at Potters Bar Community Hospital, which has been left without a bus connection.

“People going to hospital might not be very well – they might have only had eye drops or minor procedures, but they still might not be able to drive themselves home.

“But I’ve spoken to lots of shop owners who fear a drop in customers over time.

“Transport for London wants us to cut down on car use, which is fine, but where are the alternatives?”

The 84 route was stopped in April last year. (Image: Will Durrant/LDRS)

Sallie is not alone in the campaign.

A letter featuring 904 signatures has been sent to transport and local authority leaders in Hertfordshire and Greater London today (Friday, January 13) in a bid to plug the missing link.

A TfL spokesperson said its 399 route continues to connect Barnet and Hadley Highstone, while a combination of the 298 and 313 buses links Potters Bar with the north London town.

“Given our current financial situation, which because of the pandemic has meant a reliance on government operational funding, we were not in a position to take on the costs of the route,” they said.

“We will continue to keep travel patterns and demand under review and the flexible nature of the bus network means it can make frequency adaptations at relatively short notice to reflect changing demand where required.”

Both TfL and Hertfordshire County Council confirmed they run door-to-door dial-a-ride schemes for people with visual impairments.