Two notorious stretches of road will undergo multimillion-pound safety revamps in a bid to reduce the number of fatal crashes.

Rumble strips, crash barriers and road markings are among £1.5m of measures planned for the deadly A290 between Canterbury and Whitstable.

Previously dubbed “a race track” by speed-wary neighbours, the eight-mile route has been the scene of two fatalities and a number of other serious accidents in the past five years.

The money, set to be spent in either 2020 or 2021, will come from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) safer roads fund after the government invited proposals from highways authorities to improve A-roads.

The authority has also secured funding to improve the A252 between Chilham and Charing.

Considered an accident blackspot following a string of serious and fatal crashes, the route will undergo a £2.1 million overhaul.

The news has been welcomed by the daughter of 68-year-old Chris Hickmott, who died following a crash in Chilham in 2014.

“It is amazing news,” Hettie Walton said. “I am so pleased as they will be able to do massive improvements.

“I’m glad something is being done and I hope it really does help curb safety issues.”

“I think the road should be made 50mph, though, as when you look at certain parts it is big enough for three cars and people think it’s a race track.

“I was standing at my mum’s memorial one day when a motorbike went past at about 80mph.”

Despite calls for speed cameras along the 40mph stretch of the A290, they are not included in the proposals.

Skid resistant surfacing and lighting at junctions are planned by KCC, which applied for the cash last year.

In October 2015, 17-year-old passenger Danny Lee was killed when the car he was travelling in left the road at Pean Hill. Two years earlier, Laurie Hazrati, 22, died in hospital, 10 days after his silver Renault Clio crashed near Blean.

KCC cabinet member for highways, Mike Whiting, said: “The money will go to improve the highway and reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on two of Kent’s key routes.”

“It is great news and I must congratulate our highways team on gaining this additional funding.

“The scheme has been developed through support from the Road Safety Foundation and our officers will be in a position to commence work as soon as funds are available.”

However, a road dubbed among the UK’s most dangerous will not receive a penny.

The A291 between Canterbury and Herne Bay was the scene of 19 serious or fatal accidents between 2008 and 2013, but is not in line for any cash.