A replacement bus service will launch this Friday – quashing fears that a part of a village would be left with no service.

In February, Uno confirmed it would be terminating its 657 service which runs between Borehamwood and Harpenden on April 20.

The 657 would have been of particular loss to people living in Shenley on the Borehamwood side with no other services running through that end of the village.

Hertfordshire County Council subsidises a section of the route and said there were no plans to stop the service.

Now it has been announced that Arriva will take over the route from this Friday under the 357. It will mean special fares for University of Hertfordshire students and staff won’t be available anymore on this service.

The 653 which runs between Welwyn Garden City and St Albans is also being revised. On Mondays to Saturdays, the service will no longer serve Birchwood and Oldings Corner Tesco and instead will revert to its previous route along the A1000.