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Furious neighbours have slammed the council for not warning them that two "massive" 75-foot-long bus stops would be installed outside their homes. According to residents on Fiddlewood Road, Norwich, Norfolk County Council provided no warning that the bus stops would be crammed into the quiet street.

Residents already have three bus stops, bringing the total number to five on the residential road. They say they are being forced to park elsewhere after workmen suddenly painted yellow lines on the road last week.

Michelle Wilson, who lives directly opposite the new bus stops, said the yellow lines were installed on February 20, with workmen arriving three days later. The local, who said she is "furious" also claimed that residents "weren't consulted by the council at all".

"It's a small road, it takes no more than three minutes to walk to the end of the street. I hardly ever see my neighbours because they are usually at work and don't use the bus stops", she said.

"Why has the council decided to spend thousands of pounds on bus stops that weren't needed?"

Mary and Ray Sadd, who have lived in the area for 30 years, believe the bus stops will cause congestion and lead to further collisions.

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Ms Sadd says they "should have been warned" about the new bus stops, and believes the others "are okay because they're spread out", but vehicles such as ambulances or fire engines would struggle to travel on the road it there were two buses.

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named and has lived in the area since 2019, said: "My biggest concern is the safety risk.

"The road already has a blind bend and I have witnessed several car accidents throughout my years of living here. The new bus stops raise the risk of further incidents and damage to cars. It poses a danger to the people living here and children who play outside nearby.

"I believe the decision has been poorly considered."

Norfolk County Council has spent £18,000 on the scheme using money from the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which is government-funded.

A spokesman from the council said: "We have been made aware of some issues and concerns from residents regarding the positioning of the dropped kerb for this scheme. Our locality team is currently reviewing this to see if there is an option to move it. During the COVID pandemic the local bus service was stopped. These stops have been created following requests from residents in the area."

However, Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group at Norfolk County Council, is "disappointed" that the council did not consult neighbours about the work.

He said: "The county council are not legally required to consult when schemes like this are introduced, but it is standard practice out of courtesy and to try to accommodate any concerns raised. That should have happened."