The Highways Authority has dismissed claims it failed to adequately grit an accident blackspot before three cars crashed on the road in the space of an hour.

Road bosses say salt was spread on Calcott Hill before the spate of accidents on Friday night, when temperatures plummeted to below freezing.

But Sam Maybourn, who skidded on ice and careered into a roadside wall, has questioned whether enough was done to prevent the accidents.

The 21-year-old, from Greenhill, said: “I was at the bottom of the hill going towards Herne Bay when I hit some ice and ended up in the wall.

“The airbag deployed and I had friction burns. I was shocked. As the police car arrived another car coming down the hill spun off and ended up in a field.

“A car had also gone into the field just before mine. The police gritted the roads after, but that’s not good enough really.”

Police confirmed a Renault Clio and Renault Mégane had slid on the ice and crashed into fields shortly before and after Mr Maybourn’s accident.

No one was injured.

Kent Highways spokesman Kirstie Williams says the road is a primary route and had been gritted earlier in the evening.

She added:“When the police reported issues to us in the early hours of Saturday morning, our winter duty officer instructed additional gritting on the A291 as part of the second overnight run ahead of morning traffic.

“When icy conditions are forecast we remind drivers to take extra care and always issue ice alerts to local media so they can broadcast warnings too.”

But Calcott Hill resident Peter King, 44, whose wall was struck by Mr Maybourn’s car, described the road as an “absolute ice rink”.

He said: “They have got to improve the drainage because the water rolling downhill freezes so quickly. We had a fatality along here a couple of years ago.

“It’s getting upsetting having to go out. On that night I went out with two torches to try and slow cars down myself. Cars were sliding everywhere and going too fast.

“After the accident they put in temporary traffic lights and gritted it, but I didn’t see them gritting it before.”

Mr Maybourn, who has been driving for three years, has been left to count the cost to his insurance premium after his car was written off.

He said: “I’ve seen adverts for KCC Highways asking us if we’re ready for the icy roads, but they are clearly not.

“If the road was gritted, it couldn’t have been done properly.

“You can grit a road at 3pm in the afternoon but it doesn’t make the road ready much later at night.

“In the end I’m just grateful that I’m alive more than anything. I’ve seen the place in daylight and it could have been worse if I’d hit a big tree.”