Taking to the streets in protest appears to have done the trick for angry residents.

Some 35 people staged a demonstration at the end of September demanding measures to protect pedestrians in Fant Lane, Barming.

Now Kent Highways has informed the Maidstone Central county councillor Dan Daley, who joined the protestors on the day, that a traffic-calming scheme will be prepared.

Engineers have been intsructed to draft a design that would include:

A reconstruction of the junction with Gatland Lane and realignment of the kerb lines to create a “proper” T-junction.

A pedestrian crossing at the end of Gatland Lane with a safety island

Speed-calming cushions along Fant lane all the way up to Bower Grove School to slow the traffic.

More and better warning signs

The move has been welcomed by 87-year-old Joyce Whitehead, of Chamberlain Avenue, who was one of the elderly residents finding it difficult to cross the road because of speeding traffic.

She said: “It’s really good news. I’m 100 per cent happy. It just shows that our protest was justified.”

Cllr Daley (Lib Dem) warned that there were several hurdles to jump yet. He said: “Once drafted, the design will have to undergo a safety audit and it will have to go out to public consultation, though I can’t see anyone objecting!”

Cllr Daley said that he understood the scheme would then be placed on next year’s list of projects without having to go through the “Pipkin” assessement process that has prevented so many small road schemes from gaining funding.

He said: It is a very, very dangerous road. I’ve been chasing for improvements for at least four years. It is time something was done.”