Arriva blames low demand after bus route change "abandons the whole of Wigmore"

The 100 service travels through Luton to get to Hitchin and Stevenage, but Wigmore will soon not be included in the route.

A spokesperson for Arriva South said: “We’ve made some changes to Service 100, which will come into effect on February 23, 2025.

“We know from our data and what customers tell us, that it’s important the route connects Luton, Luton Airport and Stevenage.”

But they added: “Usage of the previous service on Wigmore Lane was low and there was simply not enough customer demand for that in the area.”

Wigmore residents have shared their upset online after hearing the news about the 100 service and criticised the bus operator for making the decision.

A spokesperson for Friends of Wigmore Park said that Arriva has “now abandoned the whole of Wigmore”.

They explained: “Members of the community group, Friends of Wigmore Park, have expressed their continuing anger and disappointment after the bus service was first cut back in 2024. This removed the route from Wigmore Lane leaving a single stop at Asda, which from 2024 was then served in one direction only.

“The expectation from many was that the popular service would be brought back after residents complained that they could no longer get to work at Luton Airport, Hitchin or Stevenage by bus. Arriva has now abandoned the whole of Wigmore with no services on any routes at all from February 23.

"The suspicion is that this has been done to speed up the travel times between Luton and Hitchin and Stevenage.”