Friends and family of a school boy who was critically injured after being hit by a car have started a petition to make the road safer.

Miles Rogers, 11, is still in a rehabilitation unit after the accident in Lower Road, Minster, last October.

Bernie Robinson, a friend of Miles’s mother Kelly, is now trying to get enough signatures so Kent Highways will improve the safety of the road.

The accident happened outside Sheppey Rugby Club when Miles was crossing the road with his bike.

Although there is an island in the middle of the road for pedestrians, 33-year-old Bernie believes the crossing should be made more obvious as it is such a busy road.

Bernie said: “When you are driving along you see the roundabout and the lights first rather than the crossing.

“That crossing needs to be highlighted. Highways said they won’t look at it until there’s another accident but we are not prepared to wait for that.

“We would like to have something in place for when Miles is home.”

Bernie said the best outcome would be for a pelican crossing to be installed, which is where there are lights and a push button for pedestrians, but she does not know if that would be viable.

Chairman of the rugby club Neil Golding said they were also backing the call for something to be done.

He said so far the response from Highways had not been satisfactory.

He added: “We as a club are trying to improve the entrance to our club for pedestrians and we will be discussing a Highways suggestion that we put signs up, but we are hoping they will do something.

“We totally support this petition and the most important thing is to make that bit of road safe.”

• The petition already has more than 450 signatures. To sign it, go online or visit the Times Guardian office.

Miles making some progress

Miles’s mother Kelly said there had been some progress in his condition.

He is being treated at the Children’s Trust rehabilitation centre in Tadworth, Surrey.

Although the doctors are unable to give a long-term prognosis, Miles has had six operations and has a severe brain injury, damage to his left side and bruising all over.

This week Kelly updated us that Miles has been trying to talk. He has said “yes”, “no”, “hi” and “I know”.

Kelly said it was really encouraging and a step in the right direction, but the doctors are trying not to encourage too much talking so he doesn’t get tired out.

• To keep up-to-date with Miles’s condition, sign up to his Facebook group by searching Smiles 4 Miles.