A petition for more frequent buses in Stevenage has been signed by 3,000 individuals.

The petition was created by Ann, a Stevenage resident who was initially frustrated at the regularity of the number six bus route.

Having been told of similar stories from across Stevenage, Ann decided to launch a petition for more frequent buses for the entire town.

She told the Comet: "We want a decent, reliable and regular bus service for Stevenage, which is no more than we should expect or deserve - a regular, safe and clean service for the whole of Stevenage."

Ann went on to explain how 95 per cent of passengers that she spoke to welcomed the petition "with open arms" and were thanking her for organising it.

She continued: "The stress, the anger and the anxiety are humungous (regarding the current bus service).

"You've got to leave an hour earlier than you've planned, just to know that you're going to get somewhere at the time that you want to get there."

Ann added that "infrequent and unreliable" buses have impacted people getting to work, school, doctors, hospitals and more.

Ann concluded her list by stating: "My biggest one was life, it is badly affecting our lives."

She also wanted to express her thanks for the individuals who have signed the petition, and supported her campaign for more reliable and regular buses

Ann has been supported in her campaign by Labour councillors for Bedwell, Matt Creasey and Nazmin Chowdhury.

Cllr Matt Creasey told the Comet: "The buses are a vital service for Bedwell and for the whole of the town. People need them to get around.

"The reasons that Ann has listed, I know that those are things that she has picked up from talking to people.

"I've heard it as well, from talking to people in the town, that they need a more reliable bus service that can get them from A to B in a quick and safe manner.

"I understand, being a councillor, the restrictions in terms of funding. It is a really serious issue that the borough council is facing as well."

The two bus operators identified by Matt and Ann are Arriva and Intalink. Intalink is ran as an extension of Hertfordshire County Council.

Matt continued: "Ideally, we would like to see more investment from either the county council or Arriva in the bus service - in order to make the improvements needed - and for Intalink to adhere to their Passenger Charter 2022 , and for the Real Time information on bus stop gantries be Real Time.

"Also, more consultation with the people of the town to talk about what services are needed, how many buses need to come, in order to actually meet the needs of people.

"A lot of these bus routes are getting cut, without any proper communication with people in the town who use the buses."

When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Arriva told the Comet: "Arriva are committed to providing the best service possible within Stevenage, nationally passenger numbers are still significantly reduced in comparison to pre-pandemic levels and Stevenage also has significantly reduced passenger levels.

"We are hopeful that passenger numbers continue to rise through enhanced awareness and marketing pushing the benefits of public transport use, thus helping to reduce both congestion and levels of harmful emissions, in turn we will continue to adapt the network to new passenger flows and travel patterns."

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said: "We welcome the views of our residents and petitions are one way that people can get in touch.

"If the petition receives enough signatures from people who live or work in Hertfordshire and fulfils the necessary policy criteria, it will be considered by the appropriate council panel."

With the petition now closed, Ann and Matt have drafted a letter to Arriva and Intalink, outlining their request for a "reliable and regular" bus service for Stevenage.

Part of this letter, shared with the Comet, read: "Speaking with users of the service, we have heard how key workers at the hospital are not able to get home after a late shift, that elderly people are not able to get to - or are having to leave - Bedwell Community Centre up to an hour early to get home, and that carers have found it harder to get to their patients."