A stretch of road plagued by accidents could have a sharp speed limit drop.

Councillors voted for 290 metres of Alkham Road in Temple Ewell to have the limit reduced from 50mph to 30mph.

Dover’s joint transportation board ditched an original plan to lower it to just 40mph after villagers in a consultation complained about the scale of crashes.

The plan, voted on last Thursday, is to place the limit west of the Abbey Road junction.

One resident, in a written submission to the council, said: “The proposed speed reduction does not go far enough to deter the high volume of traffic and speeding vehicles.

“The parks and open spaces within the area are to be further developed and will encourage an increase in visitors and activities in Kearsney Abbey, Russell Gardens and Bushy Ruff. In recent times there have been a number of fatal and non-fatal accidents. Two fatal accidents have been due to vehicles being driven at excessive speeds and drivers being unable to control their vehicles on the undulating road surface.”

Residents told of a recent case, on July 15, when a car heading fast towards Dover ran through a keep-left sign and knocked down a lamppost. Alkham Parish Council accepted the 40mph proposal but wanted it to extend to nearly 1km. Clerk Janice Lambert told the district council in a letter that there had been one fatal crash and four serious ones in the last five years.

She said: “This stretch from the end of Bushy Ruff Park has the highest concentration of speed-related fatalities and accidents along the road. The bends in the road from the end of Bushy Ruff Park need a reduction in speed to handle.

“Also the bends are tight and large vehicles often cross the central white line onto oncoming traffic.”

The intention is to create a buffer zone for vehicles coming from the Folkestone area and heading towards Kearnsey Abbey and River, where the limit is 30mph.

The original plan had been to introduce a 40mph limit for 634 metres west of Abbey Road. The road going west beyond that would remain at 50mph. Further consultation takes place in late September.