A NEW bus will be launched next week aimed at Chesham commuters travelling to Hemel Hempstead and Watford.

The T2 service will leave Chesham Broadway at 7.19am Monday to Fridays and arrive at Hemel Hempstead bus station at 7.55am and Watford town centre at 8.34am. There are no other departures and the bus will only return to Chesham at 6.02pm and 7.02pm. The service starts next Monday.

A single to Watford will cost £3.50 and a return £5 (click the link at the bottom of the story for more prices and timetable).

It is the second commercial service to be launched by Chesham-based Tiger Line and will also call at Berkhamsted, Apsley and Kings Langley.

The firm said the buses were set to run more frequently, subject to demand and were “considerably less” than other bus options.

Another service, by Carousel Buses, runs at 7.18am from Chesham Broadway and arrives in the town centre at 8.17am Mondays to Fridays.

The last two buses return to Chesham at 5.02pm and 6.40pm. A single to Watford town centre costs £3.90 and a return £5.30.

Michael Wootten, operations director of Tiger Line, said “We are launching this new service in response to calls from our customers in Hemel Hempstead.

“They have told us they want a more reliable link from Hemel Hempstead to Watford, they want affordable fares and they want choice.

“Our new service is designed to do this and although we are starting with an hourly timetable, we have big plans for the future.”

Unlike the Carousel route, the Tiger service will not receive cash support from Buckinghamshire County Council.

It is hoped the new route will prove popular with pensioners who can now travel anywhere in the country for free on local bus services.