A PLANNED new bus route through a Tavistock housing estate has angered residents who believe it will put their children's lives in danger.

Buses on the number 89 route will be travelling every half an hour through the Tiddybrook Meadows estate, once the access on to Anderton Lane is opened. They will pass a children's play area where youngsters frequently run across the road to get to it.

At the moment the quiet estate road is only used by residents and visitors but householders say the bus route will turn it into a main road.

Chairman of the residents' association Lee Whiting, who has four children aged from three to eight, said the under 12s park on the estate was the main park for the little ones.

'It won't be long before there is an accident,' he said.

'The bus stop is close to the gate of the park so children will not be able to see what is going up and down that road if there is a bus parked there.'

He said at the moment the road was closed off at one end, but soon the access would be opened up and traffic of every type would be allowed through.

'Once the road is opened up it will be mayhem because the road is too narrow for general traffic,' he said.

Residents have asked for a bus stop just outside the estate on Plymouth Road, which would still be easily accessible for elderly residents.

Resident David Rose said the new bus route would just not work.

Mr Rose said: 'It is just not a clever idea to put this anywhere near a children's play area, with buses in both directions every half an hour from 8am to 6pm.'

County councillor for Tavistock Debo Sellis, who has had meetings with residents and highways officers over the issue, said the scheme was 'ill planned'.

Cllr Sellis said: 'I have every sympathy with residents over this but this decision was made in 2005 when the emphasis was on green transport and using buses and pedestrian links.

'There is grossly inadequate parking at Tiddybrook Meadows for residents and visitors, but the fact of the matter is that in a rural areas the majority of people have to have cars.

'People are parking on the road and adding buses to the equation is not the best idea but I suppose we will just have to see how it goes.'

Many concerns were raised about the potential for a 'rat run' through the new estate and the subsequent impact on the safety of families living there when planning permission was granted for the development in 2005.

A subsidised bus service through the estate connecting it with local shops and supermarkets was agreed as part of a Section 106 legal agreement between developers Redrow Homes and West Devon Borough Council.

Both West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council were unavailable for comment as the Times went to press yesterday (Wednesday).