A stretch of road running up to the Battle of Britain Memorial could have its speed limit reduced by a third.

Residents have complained that drivers go too fast, lose control at bends and some even use their mobile phones at the wheel.

Transport councillors voted to reduce the Dover Hill and New Dover Road, at Folkestone and Capel-le-Ferne from 60mph to 40mph.

The vote was taken last night by Dover's Joint Transportation Board.

As the most of the route is in Folkestone the JTB there will discuss this on July 2.

Officers at Dover had originally proposed for a 50mph limit but residents and the parish council, in a consultation, said that was not enough.

They complained that there has been accidents already, and there is a high movement of vehicles in and out of Memorial site at Capel.

Parish clerk Maureen Leppard, in a letter the the JTB, said: "There has been a number of minor accidents and near misses on this section of road, mainly due to vehicles/coaches accessing/egressing (leaving) the Battle of Britain Memorial site and Visitor Centre.

"The site attracts around 50,000 visitors a year.

"Accidents have occurred due to sight lines being impaired by overhanging vegetation and mis-judgement of oncoming vehicle speed."

A consulted resident said in a letter that 40mph was also needed because of hazardous bends on the hill land the amount of residents having to negotiate getting in and out of their properties.

They added: "It is highly dangerous to try to negotiate in and out of that (Memorial) site with speeding traffic on that straight stretch of road."

A number of residents have already signed a petition calling for the imposing of reduced speeds.

They say that too many people already defy the existing 40mph limit on the B2011 from Old Dover Road to Helena Road.

One resident wrote: "For far too long cars and lorries have raced through Capel on the B2011. Also many drivers are using their mobile phones on this stretch. I would like to see the speed limit reduced to 30mph."

Another said: "There is an ongoing problem of a small minority of motorists that see the straight road (B2011) through the village as an excuse to regularly exceed the existing 40mph limit."

An additional resident said that crossing the road to and from the bus stop near where New Dover Road,, Dover Hill and Crete Road East meet is frightening, especially for elderly people with walking aids.

That writer added that the corners up Dover Hill are too dangerous to take at 50mph and that cars have lost control and even rolled over when taking the bends too fast.

The resident also said: "Cars frequently lose control when rounding the the corner of Dover Hill/New Dover Road, clipping the kerb and spinning onto the pavement."

Joint Transportation Boards are committees with both district and county councillors.

The Dover JTB meeting was a the district offices in Whitfield.