HOMEOWNERS in a Worcester road claim they can no longer enjoy the peace and privacy of their gardens, after a transport company introduced double-decker buses in the neighbourhood.

The use of the vehicles on the number 32 route along St Peter’s Drive has been labelled an “intrusion of privacy” by a number of residents in Falcon Close, whose gardens back onto the road.

They fear people sitting on the top deck of a bus can look directly into their gardens and even their homes, creating a safety and security risk.

Transport firm First Group has however defended its policy, which comes after 27 years of single-decker buses being used in the area, as necessary “to meet capacity demands” and “develop better operational links”.

David North, of Falcon Close, said: “My neighbours and I believe this is an intrusion into our privacy.

“We are particularly vulnerable at our location as the bus stop is located directly behind our rear fence – we feel the bus is almost in our garden.

“We have lived here for 12 years and we understood that only single deck buses were allowed on this route due to the fact that most of the houses have rear gardens that back onto St Peter’s Drive and therefore are overlooked from the top deck of double-decker buses.

“Single deck buses however are not visible above our fence and this is what we have always expected and wish to return to.”

St Peter’s Parish Council has taken up the residents’ complaints and written to First Group outlining privacy, security and safety concerns over the use of double-decker buses.

Councillor Brenda Wheeler, who brought the issues to the attention of the parish council, fears the move will put children at risk of abduction, make homes vulnerable to burglars and "discourage people from making use of their own gardens".

She has also queried whether the larger vehicles are necessary considering the low numbers of passengers seen on board the buses.

The sighting of double-decker vehicles at weekends and during the day similarly casts doubt on the claim that demand from school pupils means the larger buses are needed, she added.

Ady Culpin, a spokesman for First Group, has however strongly defended the company’s approach.

He said: “We have received a complaint from St Peter the Great County Parish Council on behalf of some residents living in the St Peter's Drive area, stating that double deck buses are intruding on their privacy.

“As a local business that carries thousands of people around the city daily we sometimes need to change our operation to meet the demands of our customers.

“This means that vehicle types may change to meet capacity demands and also to develop better operational links to wider areas within our bus network.

“St Peter’s is an area that has had a long established bus route that over the years has seen different size buses operate along it.

“Recently due to the extra demand for higher capacity to serve Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College at peak times we need to operate double deck buses.

“Most buses operating through St Peter’s from Monday to Friday will be single deck operation but for operational reasons there is a requirement to operate some double deck buses at other times of the day.

“Most of our customers welcome double deck buses as they have more seats, meaning that customers can travel more comfortably with not having to stand.”