Campaigners have welcomed a decision to draw up a scheme for improvements to one of Deal’s busiest roads.

Highway officials are to do the work for St Richard’s Road and the move has been approved by the Dover joint transport board.

Deputy Mayor of Deal Cllr Tracey Wilton, one of the campaigners, said: "I look forward to seeing its survey once it is complete and formulating a response.

"But if nothing happens then the battle will continue, as we are a feisty bunch in St Richard’s and Court Roads."

The Deputy Mayor said St Richard’s Road, from Mongeham Road to Court Road, was "extremely dangerous".

Campaigners are calling for a reduction in the speed limit and new pedestrian crossings outside St Mary’s Primary and Dossett Court, the sheltered accommodation for the elderly.

Dover transport board was told that the average speed of traffic was around 33mph, with more than 7,000 vehicles using the route weekdays between 7am and 7pm.

There had been eight accidents involving injury in the last three years, with three of them – including one involving a pedestrian – at the junction with Telegraph Road.

Cllr Mike Eddy said: "There are a lot of school kids and elderly people who cross the road and it’s more by good luck than anything else we have avoided serious injury in the last few years."