Residents in Kensal Rise are bracing for a month of traffic and bus diversions when work begins to repair a faulty water main.

Chamberlayne Road near Kensal Rise station will be closed to traffic between Bannister Road and Buller Road, and number 28, 52, 316 and 452 buses will be diverted from January 18 to the middle of February as Thames Water carries out essential maintenance works.

A letter to residents from Thames Water also states that parking bays along Kilburn Lane will be suspended for three months and motorists will be subject to parking and waiting restrictions as well as potential parking fines during this period.

But as postponed dates for the road closures, which were due to kick off today, was announced, Rik Smith, Secretary of the Kensal Rise Residents’ Association, told of his fears that the bus diversions via Maida Vale will lead to traffic “grief” and unnecessarily send users “around the houses”.

He said: “I will be heading down to see what carnage or otherwise has happened.

“I would expect a certain amount of grief, especially around Maida Vale just so that buses can go around the houses and terminate at Kensal Rise station- why don’t they just terminate the 452 and 52 buses at Ladbroke Grove?”

Thames Water announced it would carry out works on the water main after more than 18 months of disrupted supply affecting more than 100 properties on Chamberlayne Road.

Mr Smith added the diversions of the 452, 52, 28 and 316 routes via Elgin Avenue will add extra journey time for passengers and suggested a temporary “truncation” of the service would also help to reduce bus-related road pollution.

Mr Smith, who last year led a campaign calling for action to reduce high levels of nitrogen dioxide emitted by regular bus services, said: “Whilst it is understandable there will be disruption for these works, there will be less pollution if the route is truncated and ends at Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury’s.”

A spokesman for Transport for London confirmed Chamberlayne Road would be closed until January 29 and said number 28, 52, 316 and 452 routes would be subject to diversions while the works are carried out.