A 10ft-deep sinkhole is giving rise to safety fears - especially with the school summer holidays now here.

The void appeared in Hackney Road in the Fant area of Maidstone on July 11 and two weeks later it has not been fixed.

It has been cordoned off by its junction with Milton Street - meaning motorists coming out of the one-way Milton Street must turn left and not right.

But some drivers have been ignoring the signs and have moved barriers to drive around them.

Others have mounted the pavement to do so.

And some have driven the wrong way back down Milton Street to avoid a long diversion.

Cllr Kimmy Milham (Green), one of the borough councillors for Fant and Oakwood, said: “There have been many near misses and residents have observed cars driving the wrong way as often as once every 15 minutes.”

Fant resident Emma Archer-Simms said: “People are driving the wrong way down Milton Street, Dover Street and Pope Street, and with people mounting the kerb to get around.

“With school holidays approaching, it could be a child who is seriously injured or killed.”

Another resident, Tracy Sultana, described the situation as “really dangerous”.

The county councillor for the area, Cllr Chris Passmore (Lib Dem) and Cllr Milham met around 15 residents on Sunday to discuss the issues.

Cllr Passmore said: “There is a general problem with sinkholes in this area. This one is only about 600m from a similar one that we had in Gatland Lane, and there have been several before not far away in Tonbridge Road.

“Obviously we need this fixed as soon as possible - but bearing in mind that it took about 16 weeks to fix the Gatland Lane void, we urgently need better signage now.

“I have written to Cllr Neil Baker, the KCC cabinet member for highways, asking that the signage be improved and the diversion made clearer.

“Residents are correct to be worried.”

Cllr Milham said: “Drivers going the wrong way down Milton Street know they are doing wrong and tend to speed up to get through as quickly as possible.

“Of course, that makes it even more dangerous.

“Unfortunately, the communication from KCC has been poor and that’s something that Chris and I are passionately trying to improve.”

The councillors are holding a further meeting at the sinkhole on Friday (July 26) at 7pm to discuss progress.

KCC said it was not responsible for the repair work as the cause of the hole had been identified by using dyes as being a leaking surface drain which was the responsibility of Southen Water.

A spokesman for Southern Water said: “A surface water sewer has collapsed.

“Our teams are working to survey the damage before making repairs which will involve a deep excavation. However, due to the depth and location of the pipe this will require a road closure.

“We are working as quickly as we’re able to do so and we’re sorry for the disruption this is causing residents in the area.

“Our contractors, Cappagh Browne, can’t give a timetable for the completion of repairs at this stage.”

The void has initially been filled with type 1 roadstone, but this is only a temporary measure to support other service pipes, before a full excavation can take place.

The road closure has disrupted the Nu Venture 78 bus route.

The company said: “We are currently serving all the route except the section between St Michael’s Road and Hackney Road.

“So the bus is departing Maidstone on the normal line of route to St Michael’s, then going via the A26 and back in Fant Lane and Gatland Lane.

“In the other direction, it is leaving Gatland Lane, then going ahead to Fant Lane, Hartnup Street, A26, St Michael’s, then back on the normal route to Maidstone.”