A dog walker whose golden retriever was almost hit by a car says something needs to be done to stop brazen motorists driving down a closed road.

Avocet Way is a brand new road in Ashford which is currently closed as it is yet to be adopted by Kent Highways.

It was built in 2017 by developer Taylor Wimpey, connecting its Bridgefield housing estate with the nearby Finberry development.

Ever since, concrete bollards have stopped traffic accessing the route.

But a resident who lives nearby, who has asked not to be named, says drivers have been illegally mounting the pavement to access Avocet Way and cut through.

He filmed the moment a silver Toyota Corolla went up the kerb to bypass the barrier near Finberry Primary School, almost hitting his seven-year-old dog Joey and then driving off.

“I was out walking about midday – I saw two people literally jump out of the way [of the car] and I'm not joking when I say that,” he explained.

“As this car approached he didn't have a care in the world and stuck his fingers up.

“We reported it to the police in the hope that would deal with it but we don't know what happened after that.”

He posted the video on a Facebook group for local residents and others said they’d had similar experiences.

“My dog was nearly hit and it's frustrating because a dog is part of the family,” he said.

“More importantly, there are children who walk down there to and from the school with their parents. They often run around playing.

“If they don't hear a car, or if drivers decide to do it when it is pitch black, someone will get hurt.”

He says drivers have been using the route since wooden bollards on the pavement were broken 18 months ago.

“The broken barriers have been reported to the developers but nothing has ever been done about it,” he said.

In August, the resident filmed a biker weaving through the bollards to access the road.

He added: “Mopeds and delivery drivers also just drive through because there is nothing stopping them.

“Some get off their bikes and walk them through which I have less of an issue with – but the road is closed. More enforcement is needed.”

While Finberry and Bridgefield neighbour each other, there is currently no access between the two estates for vehicles, meaning drivers have to take a lengthy diversion to get to the other side.

Eventually, Avocet Way will open to buses only, while neighbouring Rutledge Avenue, another road that has been built but is yet to open, will open to all other traffic.

ANPR cameras to catch people flouting the rules will eventually be installed when the bus lane is open, but no timeline for when this might happen has been set.

The cameras will be similar to those that have recently been installed through the bus-only junction in Beaver Road.

The last remaining part of Rutledge Avenue connecting to Swift Avenue is set to be built by Finberry developer Crest Nicholson once new houses around Bilham Farm are completed.

They will then need to be adopted by Kent Highways before they can be opened but the authority could not provide an update on when this might happen.

Some residents have become so used to the situation that they argue the routes should stay permanently closed, fearing they could create an unnecessary set of rat-runs.

Meanwhile, others say they could be a desperately needed solution to end tailbacks heading into Bridgefield.

Kent Police says it has received reports of motorists breaking traffic laws in the Finberry area of Ashford in August and December 2023.

The local beat officer is aware of the issue and police will always look to take action against drivers breaking the law.

Taylor Wimpey says it is not responsible for these posts as they are on a section of road installed by Crest Nicholson.

Crest Nicholson has been approached for comment.