Arriva’s Click DRT service has ceased to operate in Watford, having been found to no longer be viable
Arriva’s demand responsive ArrivaClick service in Watford ceased operating on 31 December. Operated as a joint venture with Watford Borough Council, the service was introduced as a way of developing an additional public transport choice in the area. The two partners said that it had attracted passengers, but not at the level needed to ensure it could be cost-effective as a business proposition, leading to the ‘very difficult’ decision to close the service.
“Our aim is and always has been to make public transport the best environmentally-sustainable option for everyone and we do have an extensive bus network in and around Watford, so our customers can still rely on our buses to get around,” Arriva said, announcing the closure.
The service was launched in July 2020, and used technology provided by Ioki to manage journeys. It was subsidised by Watford Borough Council as part of a wider plan to make the town carbon neutral by 2030. Journey prices ranged from £1 to £2.50 per mile depending on the time of day, with further discounts available to regular users via weekly passes and credit bundles. It operated between 0600 and 2200hrs Monday to Saturday, extended to 2300hrs on Friday and Saturday evenings, and from 0800 to 2100 on Sundays.
The ArrivaClick concept was first launched in 2017 in Sittingbourne, Kent, and then expanded to areas including Liverpool in 2018 and Leicestershire in 2019. Operations continue in the Speke area of Liverpool and in Ebbsfleet.