An angry father has called for changes to a busy village road after his daughter was hit by a bus.

The accident happened in Common Lane, Wilmington at 3.50pm on October 1 last year and the driver of the 1st Bus Stop Vehicle has since been found guilty of careless driving.

The victim’s father said his daughter, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was fortunate not to be more seriously injured – she suffered minor concussion – and has called on Kent County Council to take action before another pupil is hurt.

Common Lane is the main route for several schools, some earmarked for expansion.

He said: “The council knows that road needs to be widened. The speed limit is not the issue, the bus was doing about 10 miles per hour. The main problem is the road isn’t wide enough to take two buses.

“As much as I hate to say it, I do have some sympathy for the drivers. If the bus driver is told ‘that’s the road and this is your time’, he’s going to follow that. I stick 99% of the blame on KCC.

“Someone is going to get killed or badly hurt and that is the only time that council is going to do anything about it"

“It’s going to cost them money to widen the road and that seems to be their main concern, but it’s chaotic down there and some of the drivers are idiotic.

“Someone is going to get killed or badly hurt and that is the only time that council is going to do anything about it. They need to start listening to us.”

Malcolm Andrew Lewis appeared in court in April but he denied driving without due care and attention.

The 57-year-old, of Bury St Edmund’s, in Suffolk, was found guilty at Medway Magistrates’ Court on June 30. He was fined £400 and given three points on his licence. He was also ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge and £250 court costs.

The sentencing comes as parents drum up support for their Wilmington Safer Streets (WSS) campaign, which aims to raise awareness of safety concerns surrounding the village’s secondary and primary schools and nurseries.

The Messenger has already reported that Wilmington Girls’ Grammar has approval for expansion, as does Asquith Wilmington Day Nursery.

Wilmington residents fighting for improved road safety as three schools prepare to expand

The head teacher of nearby Wilmington Grammar School for Boys also has concerns over the safety of pupils in Common Lane and has backed the campaign.

Andy Williamson said: “The traffic situation in Common Lane has for a long time now been a concern for the whole school community including myself and our governing body.

“We support the WSS campaign and have been in discussions alongside the other schools with Kent Highways to investigate any possible solutions.

“The traffic situation in Common Lane has for a long time now been a concern for the whole school community including myself and our governing body" Andy Williamson, head teacher at Wilmington Grammar School for Boys

“For our part, we are re-configuring our playground space to create an extra 10 parking spaces to remove some of the cars that park opposite the school. The problem seems to be that there is no obvious affordable alternative.

“I see the best solution as constructing an off-road bus drop-off point at the top of Common Lane and developing safer paths into the three schools.

“On a greater scale, we need to look at countries like the Netherlands and Denmark where cycling routes are excellent and most students use them.

One of the bus operators to use Common Lane is Arriva. Representatives from the firm have also met with WSS.

Glen Shuttleworth, head of operations at Arriva, said: “Earlier this year we attended a site meeting with the Wilmington Safer Streets group to discuss the issues of safe passage of traffic along Common Lane.

“We are taking measures to reduce congestion and are in the process of re-routing our school services to run in one direction along Common Lane.

“This will reduce the risk of two buses meeting and holding up the traffic.”