BUS company Arriva is to withdraw the troubled 392 service from Nazeing to Harlow after increasing complaints.

The company has cited a "severe" staff shortage as the main reason for the withdrawal, which takes place on Friday, December 21.

Marketing manager David Shadbolt said: "It's true we've decided to withdraw this service along with one other. We've struggled to attract enough staff for quite some time, and the problem worsened over the summer period.

"We have therefore decided to reduce our operational services to match the staff available."

He said the passenger transport authorities in Essex and Hertfordshire had been informed of the decision and were free to arrange alternative services.

David Pracy, of Shooters Drive, Nazeing, had earlier criticised the service saying: "It's really disappointing. We've only got one bus every hour and sometimes it doesn't turn up or arrives late. It's really unacceptable."

He said he was briefly encouraged by the company's area operations manager Brian Fordham's visit to his home in July last year.

"But sadly, things didn't improve much even after his visit," he added.

In response to Mr Pracy's latest letter to Mr Fordham, which he wrote last month to complain about being forced to hire a taxi by the sudden cancellation of the service on Wednesday, October 17, he was told last Friday (November 9) that the service was being withdrawn.

He said: "Mr Fordham apologised and said I would be reimbursed my fare (£4) for the taxi."

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Stantiford, also from Nazeing, says she was forced to change her job partly because of the erratic service.

She said: "The bus would go past me without stopping because it was already full with school children. I decided enough was enough.

"I understand the kids had to get to their school on time but I had to get to work on time as well. It was particularly hard on rainy mornings."

A Stapleford Abbotts woman, who did not want to be named, said her two daughters had similar problems with service 500 the other service being withdrawn and the 502, both of which run from Abridge and Stapleford Abbotts to Harlow.

She said: "They don't come on time and sometimes don't turn up at all, and I end up giving them lifts. Whenever I've tried complaining, I have been told my call was held in a queue, and sometimes I've waited unsuccessfully for half an hour for it to be answered."

Mr Fordham was also shouted down about the 251 service when he attended Waltham Abbey town council's annual meeting last month.

November 16, 2001 14:30