Householders want buses banned from their street because they fear an accident.

They have started a petition calling for drivers to stop using the northern end of Buckingham Road, Brighton, as a short cut when buses replace trains at Brighton station at weekends.

They say the sudden appearance of buses while engineering work takes place on the railway has clogged up the area, which is not an official bus route, and it is only a matter of time before a pensioner or child is injured.

Photographer Steve Smith,of Buckingham Road, said: "I counted nine buses using the northern end of the road on Sunday. On one occasion I had to pull an elderly resident out of the way.

"It is a highly dangerous road for buses. They should stick to the routes they are told to use.

"There are no facilities for buses in this part of Buckingham Road. People don't expect to see buses travelling along here."

Mr Smith said when he contacted British Transport Police about the problem they confirmed that all drivers had been asked to use Terminus Road, Dyke Road, the southern end of Buckingham Road, and Upper Gloucester Road.

Newsagent Vitro Mash, who has run Brighton News in Buckingham Road, since 1984, said there was no reason for buses to use the northern end of the road.

He said: "They always drive too fast. The road is not laid out for buses. Children are often sent to this shop by parents living nearby and if there is an accident, no one can say we did not warn everyone.

"We were told a long time ago that buses would not use this part of the road when running replacement services but they are back again.

"We seem to be hitting our heads against a brick wall."

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, one of the bus companies which runs substitute services, said bus drivers could use which routes they wanted when replacing trains.

He said: "I don't know why people pick on buses.

"Why don't they complain about large lorries or removal vans using the road?

"Bus drivers are given a recommended route and that is the route along Terminus Road and Dyke Road, and the southern part of Buckingham Road.

"That is the best route but if the roads are clogged up round the station, drivers can use their initiative and find an alternative route.

"If someone has hired a bus to travel on the public road, they can use whatever route they want depending on restrictions such as weight and height.

"A road is a road, and a bus, along with any other vehicle, can use it."