A FAMILY is still waiting for an apology after two of their cars were written off by reversing bin lorries.

In the past two years, the Hoskins family, of Rye Close, Bexley, has lost two cars after parking them in the roadway opposite their home.

Son Luke, 20, has only just settled the disputed insurance payout for his Audi A2 which he had only owned for six months and which was written off in August last year.

The year before, his mother Susan’s Suzuki Liana, which was parked in almost the same spot, was also damaged beyond repair by another reversing dustcart.

Their close is a cul-de-sac which rises up a steep hill to a hammerhead turning at the top, and large vehicles often reverse up the hill so they do not have to negotiate a turn at the top.

But the Hoskins family claim the dustcarts are reversing at speed without using the vehicles’ rear cameras or banksmen (people trained to oversee the safe reversing of vehicles).

Mrs Hoskins, aged 43, who works for the British Heart Foundation, said the accident involving her car, which she had only had for five months, had been witnessed by another family member, who confirmed the driver had not used banksmen, and said “it was like the bin lorry had not seen the car at all”.

Mrs Hoskins was paid out with no quibbles but lead worker Luke has argued for months over his payout.

His car was hit so hard, it was pushed back about 20 feet and shunted into a telegraph pole.

Luke claims Kier, which has the Bexley rubbish collection contract, said both drivers were agency workers and should have been using both banksmen and the rear cameras.

But the family says the bin lorries are still reversing without taking any safety precautions.

Bexley Council says staff who fail to comply with safety requirements face disciplinary action and could lose their jobs.

A spokeswoman added: “All Bexley's waste and recycling vehicles of this size are fitted with reversing cameras, although this is not a legal requirement.

“The crews working on the vehicles also have a code of practice which state drivers, in addition to using the fitted cameras, must use a reversing assistant.”