A PETITION has been signed by 97 residents in a bid to get traffic-calming measures installed in their road.

Residents want action to slow down traffic on Colyer Road, Northfleet.

They have handed the petition to their ward representative on Gravesham Council, Councillor John Loughlin.

Resident Ian Hartridge organised the petition after becoming concerned about dangerous driving on the road.

He is worried about speeding drivers and says he has often seen cars going at 50mph on the road, which has a 30mph limit.

Mr Hartridge said: "I have seen so many near misses in this road I decided to organise a petition to get something done."

He soon realised he was not the only concerned resident in the street.

The 65-year-old retired waterman added: "My worst fears were confirmed.

"Almost everyone had experiences of the dangerous driving in the road.

"I have been told by Kent County Council (KCC) that as there have been no serious accidents, our road does not figure very high on the priority list.

"Does this mean someone has to be killed before Colyer Road qualifies for traffic-calming measures?"

Mr Hartridge says by presenting the petition to Gravesham Council he hopes to get the support of councillors before it is passed to KCC.

KCC is responsible for highway matters in the area.

Cllr Loughlin, who represents Northfleet South ward, is fully behind the campaign.

He said: "I and my fellow ward councillors fully support the aims of this petition.

"We recognise there are serious problems with traffic using Colyer Road, particularly since the adjacent Waterdales Road was traffic calmed."

Cllr Loughlin says traffic which previously used Waterdales Road as a shortcut are now using Colyer Road and creating more problems.

The petition was handed to Cllr Loughlin on February 24.

It was due to be presented to Gravesham Council yesterday.

A KCC spokesman says it will consider the petition once it has been received.