Man says buses are damaging his home and endangering children

Laurence Piggott, of Yardley Lane, Chingford says the 379 buses are “digging up the road.”

The 69-year-old “dreads to think” what the buses are doing to the foundations of the bungalow he shares with his wife.

He said: “The buses shake my house to its foundations. I’m going to end up with a bill for the underpinning that I really don’t need. It’ll be hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“It’s bad when you’re up in the bedroom, the passing buses can shake you awake.

“It’s a concern for everyone who lives along here and it’s getting worse.”

The speeding buses are smashing into pre-existing potholes, making them wider, deeper and longer and flicking up stones from the road on to nearby parked cars.

Mr Piggott says the buses are "digging up" the road.

The buses squeeze along the narrow road and often mount the kerb, causing it to collapse in some places.

Mr Piggott has seen a number of near misses when children from Yardley Primary School, at the top of the lane, have run out of the school gates and almost been run over by the speeding buses.

He said: “What if one of the children gets knocked down? Then it will be too late.

“I saw two children on Tuesday run out of the gates and they nearly got hit. They were lucky their parents grabbed them and pulled them back just in time.”

The 379 runs every 20 minutes past Mr Piggott’s bungalow from 5.30 in the morning through until 12.30 in the evening.

Mr Piggott believes Deer Leap Grove, a wider road behind his home, would be a far more suitable route for the buses.

The buses are flicking up stones from the road onto nearby parked cars.

He said: “It wouldn’t hurt people to walk an extra 10 feet further to get to the bus stop.

“Failing that, they need to put speed bumps or other speed restrictions in and the road needs resurfacing.”

Mr Piggott wrote a long letter to Waltham Forest Council on behalf of the road’s residents, explaining the situation and asking for the council to re-route the buses, install speed bumps and resurface the road, but he is yet to hear back.

He said: “I’m not the only one moaning about this. I’ve heard nothing from the council.

“Another day, you’d have had a dozen people out to talk about this, all with the same concerns.”

Transport for London are responsible for the bus routes and their regularity.

Clair Mann, director of bus operations for TfL, said: “We’re sorry to hear of concerns regarding the route 379 bus. We’re working closely with the operator Go-ahead London to ensure that all drivers are mindful of residents along this road and take extra care when driving, as we wish to continue to provide this valuable service for the local community.”

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “The condition of the road is monitored by regular inspections. When issues are identified necessary repairs will be made.

“We will be talking to TfL to ensure speed limits are being adhered to.”