POORLY maintained with speeding motorists and an above-average number of crashes in the villages – that is the damning conclusion of a report on the A25.

The much-anticipated A25 Route Study was carried out after Sundridge, Brasted and Westerham parish councils got together to complain about problems along the road.

However, parish councillors said they were unhappy with what the study focused on and the suggestions it makes for improvements.

Sundridge Parish Council chairman Nick White said: "I'm extremely disappointed with the report. We were told a year ago this was going to be the answer to our problems. We've waited a year and feel we've been fobbed off." Westerham Parish Council chairman Alan Wesley agreed the report had not addressed the big issues the parishes have raised.

Brasted Parish Council clerk Mike Downing said his council was disappointed there had not been an opportunity to outline what the study would look at before it started.

The report, produced on behalf of Kent Highways Services, sets out a series improvements for the A25, such as cutting back vegetation, cleaning signs and repainting road markings, as well as 41 places along the 7km route where the road needs repairing.

Accident data for the road was also analysed with figures suggesting the majority of crashes occur in Sundridge, Brasted and Westerham, with 31 involving personal injury between December 2004 and the end of November 2007, the most recent figures available.

This is a rate of 49.4 crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres, significantly higher than the national average of 36.

The percentage of crashes in which pedestrians were injured was also above the national average.

The report also said speed limits throughout the villages do not appear to be observed, something which is a common complaint from residents.

John Jones, from Jacobs Engineering, which carried out the study, said its staff saw motorists speeding as they carried out the study.

Cllr White said: "When I read the report I found there's an admission about traffic speeding, but all they propose to do about it is paint more lines on the road and not many of them. We've already got lines, the people who speed clearly ignore them.

"What we were hoping for was speed cameras and camera at the traffic lights to catch people who drive through on red."

The report will be discussed at the Sevenoaks joint transportation board on Tuesday at 7pm at the Sevenoaks District Council offices.

Read the full A25 Route Study report