live in Harlow, but I am a trainee solicitor who works in Romford. I am half way through my training contract that is due to finish in May 2009. I have been travelling from Harlow to Romford and back again on the 500 bus, Monday to Friday, since November 2006.



I cannot transfer my training contract anywhere else, and if I do not finish it at the firm I am at, I will never qualify as a solicitor which I have worked hard to achieve for all these years. With the 500 Bus no longer going to Romford, I cannot afford to get to Romford any other way.



As you may be aware, the few other options available are completely impractical and expensive. For example, travelling by train will cost me just under £20.00 a day. Taking a bus to Epping, and then taking the tube and bus/train to Romford will take many hours and cost me at least £12.00 a day. Even if I take a Bus to Brentwood, and then a bus from Brentwood to Romford it will take hours and completely impracticable. Whereas on the 500 Bus, it was costing me £60.00 a month (it has now just gone up to £65 for a month). And I can't even begin to consider the costs of parking ontop of the costs of actually driving to Romford (all carparks are approx. £10.00 for the day)- I can't even park in a side-street because they are permit holders only. Wheras before I could use the 500 Bus for £60.00 a month (the 4-weekly pass has just gone up to £65.00.



What outrages me even more than a bus service that has been serving the community for years being cancelled, is the fact that the supposed ‘save the day’ suggestion by the Mayor of London is to offer a temporary bus service from Passingford Bridge to Romford – the number 375. How on earth am I meant to get from Ongar (the closest to Passingford Bridge that a bus from Harlow will take me to), to Passingford Bridge which is approximately a 15-minute drive away?! And when I phoned Transport For London for advice on alternative routes, they even recommended the 500 Bus as they didn’t even know it was due to be cancelled – this was only two weeks ago!! I wonder how many others they have given the wrong information to?!

I do not believe that the needs of the passengers have been taken into consideration. One of my fellow passengers who also travels from Harlow to Romford, has had to quit his job because he cannot afford to get to and from work anymore!! He has not even had enough notice to be able to obtain a new job!



I have to be at work between 9:00-9:30 a.m. and leave at the very earliest on the rare occasion 5:45 p.m. but most days I do not finish work until 7:45 p.m.



The amount of time it takes me to get to work on the 500 Bus route since it changed routes (it used to go via Abridge before going through Ongar) was bad enough, but now having been given such little notice that I can no longer get to work by bus is a disgrace and is thoroughly disappointing.



This bus route has been serving the community for years, but now no-one wants to do anything to help. Arriva blames Transport for London, and vice-versa with excuses ranging from the buses are not red, to not having an oyster card scanner. If you look at any bus or train map showing the services from Harlow to Romford, it is shocking to see so few options and nothing direct other than the 500 Bus. For two big towns, it makes no sense that the two cannot be easily reached.



We are at a point where society and government are encouraging us to use public transport, whilst the bus services are being reduced.



There seems to be no logic why at the very least, the 375 cannot go as far as Ongar to join the two bus routes up?



Why should I have to miss out on qualifying as a solicitor having invested so much time and money into my dream, because when I applied for the job, I thought I had a way of getting to and from work?!



I really hope that someone out there will be able to help myself, and the many others who rely on the 500 Bus Route. This is not only affecting pensioners and shoppers, but those of us trying to earn a living!

Nothing like adding injury to insult: Arriva did not even bother sending out the last bus of the day. I am now stuck in Romford with my fellow passengers trying to arrange alternative means of transport. Thanks a lot Arriva.