Information here is from an article in the UK, but same issue will apply in Sydney with passengers on B-Line double decker buses being able to stare into peoples private open space front yards and even first floor bedroom windows - upper bus deck and upper residence floor windows both at the same height. Double-decker rubber-neckers are breaching our human rights! Residents on affluent street complain because top-deck bus passengers can see into their houses.
* Sounds like something Transport for NSW would come up with as a kiss-off for concerns. Residents have complained because top-deck bus passengers can see in their houses. Homeowners in Worcester, West Midlands, claim their privacy and security has been put at risk since transport company First Group began operating a double-decker bus service. The number 32 route was introduced a few weeks ago to accommodate a large group of students at a nearby college during peak times. Homeowners on a street in Worcester say their privacy and security is at risk due to people on double-decker buses, which stop outside their gardens. Until a few weeks ago it had been single-deck buses only But residents on the street, fear that potential burglars could use the top-deck to scout out vulnerable properties. Resident David North, 74, said: '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-decker buses were allowed on this route due to the fact that most of the houses have rear gardens that back onto [the main road] and therefore are overlooked from the top deck". "My neighbours and I believe this is an intrusion into our privacy". "Single-decker buses, however, are not visible above our fence and this is what we have always expected and wish to return to". A view from the window of one of the properties on Falcon Close, where neighbours have complained about the number 32 bus route, introduced to carry a large population of students from a nearby college A single decker bus stopped in the bus stop clearly shows that commuters cannot see over the fence when on the smaller buses. However, First Group which operates the service says it's needed due to high demand Another resident, who did not want to be named, added: 'When the summer comes I don't want students rubber-necking at me as I get dressed in my bedroom or stare at me while I'm sunbathing in my garden. "It's human instinct to look out of the window of bus but I hate the idea of being like an animal in the zoo for the entertainment of a bored passenger". "When you spend several hundred thousands of pounds on a house you expect a certain amount of privacy for your money. I feel this double-decker bus is breaching my human rights". St Peter's Parish Council has now taken up the resident's complaints and written to First Group outlining privacy, security and safety concerns. Councillor Brenda Wheeler, 65, who also lives on the road, said the decision to use double-decker buses would 'discourage people from making use of their own gardens'. The retired Church of England administrator added: "I have lived on the road for 28 years and we have only had single-decker buses with no problems whatsoever". "The last few weeks we've started seeing double-decker ones and they've become more and more frequent recently". "There are worries about burglary and it is a worry about security and safety for children and animals". "They can look in and see nothing has been moved in there for the last two weeks so think they must be on holiday and jump over the fence". "People should not be able to look in to your garden or straight into your bedroom window". "First Group defended their decision to switch to double-decker buses to 'develop better operational links". A spokesperson said: "We have received a complaint on behalf of some residents living in the area, stating that double-decker 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". Last year residents in Stoke-on-Trent complained to the same bus company over issues of privacy and safety with double-decker buses. They were told that the service was in operation to accommodate capacity at certain times of day. * On the B-Line bus route from Newport to the City a great number of properties have 1.8 metre high front fencing for front yard privacy. Many more dwellings have living areas, bedrooms and even bathrooms on the first floor. All privacy will be lost from passengers rubber necking from the upper deck of the B-Line Buses looking from either side even across the other lanes of traffic to the opposite side of the road. Haven't seen this issue mentioned anywhere in the published material put out by Transport for NSW.
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