In the space of two months Stephen Cleaver and Jane Elkins of Narrow Hall Meadow in the Chase Meadow estate have found both their cars scratched with colours corresponding to the colours of the 68 bus that runs past their house.

Operator Stagecoach has so far refused to accept responsibility, leading the couple to write to Warwick and Leamington MP James Plaskitt and county councillor Marion Haywood.

Each car cost hundreds of pounds to repair and led to increased insurance, but the couple are angry not only because of the damage, which no-one has admitted to causing, but because they protested when the route was first moved into their street.

Miss Elkins said: “It makes a mockery of the law if two drivers can leave the scene of an accident and nothing is done about it.

“We complained a couple of weeks before the first incident that it was an accident waiting to happen. It is crazy that people can drive up and down the road and hit cars and get away with it.”

The bus route was moved from nearby Verden Avenue in October after residents of that road complained, but the couple believe it is “ridiculous” that the bus now travels down a road where cars have no off-street parking, making it more likely there will be damage.

They are also incredulous that Stagecoach still denies any involvement.

Mr Cleaver, an IT consultant, said: “The road is too narrow for buses that size to be coming up and down.

“I really cannot see why they changed the route. They are travelling an extra mile or so and there is hardly anyone on the bus.

“We have been here for a couple of years and we have never had a problem with people hitting our cars before.

“It is a bit of a coincidence that another high-sided red and blue vehicle has come up here and caused this damage.”

Stagecoach spokesman Adam Rideout said he could not comment on whether the damage was caused by Stagecoach buses, but said Warwickshire County Council was responsible for the change in the bus route.

He said: “If one of our drivers is involved in an accident we have a very clear procedure. We have no reason to hide things if this is the case. It is not in our interest not to report accidents.

“The main issue is whether Narrow Hall Meadow is too narrow and that needs to be taken up with the county council.”

The council’s transport operations manager Dave Matthews explained the route was a temporary one and would be changed once the estate’s road system was complete so buses did not run down that road.

He added that Narrow Hall Meadow was no less wide than many estate roads, but that problems began in the evening when residents parked on both sides of the road and around the roundabout with Moorcroft Drive.

Mr Matthews added: “We have to run a service to the estate to encourage people to use buses and so we can draw the funding.

“As with all new services the usage has not been great but it is growing.”