Pressure is mounting on highways chiefs to rethink a traffic calming scheme after two crashes and several near-misses since it was installed.

The new road layout on St Peter's Park Road in Broadstairs includes two raised kerb build-outs on either side, with priority traffic give-way signs, aimed at slowing vehicles down.

But since it was put in last month, there have been two crashes, with critics saying there is a lack of signage warning drivers of the changes as well as insufficient lighting.

Some say it should be scrapped in its entirety as it causes safety issues to pedestrians directly outside St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, which is on the road.

James Henderson, whose child attends the school, says parents are concerned and warns the impact of the new measure defeats the purpose of why it was installed.

"I was close to an accident myself and I'm a professional driver so know the risks on the road," he said.

"When I was collecting my daughter from school there was a car crash and I was told by other parents that there had been another one involving a motorcyclist.

"Coming from the Margate side there is no signage to say the road layout has changed or lights, and the new kerb, with black bollards against black tarmac, blend into the road.

"So you're driving along and then there's a kerb right across in front of you."

The 46-year-old says another problem is cars coming from either end having to navigate not only the concrete build-outs, but bus stops on both sides with limited visibility if a bus is there.

"There's the kerb and bollards, then a bus stop leaving no room for cars, so once people have driven through they're committed and have to carry on driving to get to the other side," he said.

"So what you'll see is drivers accelerating to try to get past the bus before traffic the other way comes through - but everyone the other end is also having to think about all of this and will do the same.

"People will end up swerving to avoid hitting oncoming traffic and could end up mounting the pavement and hitting someone.

"If they wanted to slow the traffic, a raised zebra crossing would have been best outside a school."

Resident Chris Joy, who helped the injured motorcyclist, has started a petition asking the authority to rethink the "public safety hazard" or install lighting and signs.

Almost 800 people have already signed.

Mr Joy wrote: "A young man on his way back from work at the Covid test centre on his motorbike in the fog, crashed into the poorly-signed and poorly-lit newly-installed traffic calming measure.

"Myself and several other members of public helped the man who had hit the concrete traffic give way zone and flew over his handle bars.

"From the street, even a few metres away, the visibility of this object is very difficult to see especially in the dark and down that badly-lit road.

"I have heard on social media that a car also ripped its front end out because the driver couldn't see the raised concrete.

"This has been installed without adequate indication or notification to the local residents and has shown to be a public safety hazard on two occasions a couple of weeks since it has been installed."

A Kent Highways spokesman said: "The road already has street lights and as part of the scheme the lighting in the area was upgraded with new lanterns.

"Reflective bollards are on order and cones have been placed on the islands until the bollards have been delivered and installed."

To see the petition click here.

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