A pensioner who claims people use his road as a 'rat run' and regularly drive at speed down it has launched a petition for traffic calming measures to be introduced.

Tony Hoad, 75, moved to St Leonard's Road in Deal three years ago and says since then three garden walls have been knocked over by drivers losing control of their vehicles.

He worries that elderly people or children will be hit next by cars going over the 30mph speed limit.

Mr Hoad said: "I witness vehicles speeding everyday.

"Our road is used as a cut through between London Road and Manor Road.

"I've known of three incidents in the last three years where walls have been hit by cars.

"I don't think there has been any fatalities, but it is an accident waiting to happen. People are speeding, clearly lose control and if people were on the pavement it could be a different story.

"We need to do something. It is not right that people come down here at such high speed."
Mr Hoad, who is a retired pensions manager, has now launched a petition and is hoping all the residents in his road will support his fight for traffic calming measures to be introduced.

He said: "Last week I went to every property in St Leonard's Road to seek support for my petition and of the people that I met, apart from one, every single person strongly supported the petition.

"A copy of the petition was left at every property where there was no answer and I've already had some returned to me signed.

"Many people I spoke to felt very strongly about the problem and were aware of accidents in the road."

He plans to give the petition to Dover Joint Transportation Board, and hopes members will review the proposal.

In a letter to all residents living in St Leonard's Road, Mr Hoad wrote: "I regularly take my dog for a walk down our road and have been very alarmed by the speed of vehicles in what is a narrow residential road, with resident vehicles parked at various intervals.

"In the last couple of years there has to my knowledge been at least three incidences of vehicle collisions, with property walls being badly damaged and also, I am advised that there is a history of residents vehicles also being damaged.

"Elderly people, families with prams and push chairs and children from schools walk the narrow pavements of our road.

"Like me, you will have noticed that St Leonard's is used as a through route for cars and commercial vehicles and I am confident you will have also noticed excessive speed."

In 2019, an historic pillar, at the junction of St Leonard's Road and London Road, was hit by a car and needed extensive repairs.

Police said a 21-year-old man from Deal was fined and banned from driving for drink driving offences following the crash, which also left both roads closed for nine hours.

The pillar - which has connections to the Rev Thomas Stanley Treanor, chaplain for 32 years to the Missions to Seamen - has now been rebuilt.

Cllr Trevor Bond, ward member for Middle Deal for Dover District Council (DDC), said consideration should be given to making non- classified roads in urban environments 20mph.

He added: "There is a concern by residents of St Leonard's Road re speeding.

"The local police have been on my request undertaking some speed checks and I am awaiting the results of this.

"Re petitions, as a councillor I am happy to support petitions from residents in my ward because it is a useful way to support change."

A spokesman for DDC added: "The new arrangements for the Dover Joint Transportation Advisory Board do have a provision for receiving petitions.

"A petition on these matters would normally be submitted to KCC though, as the highways authority."