RAT-RUN cars speeding through quiet residential roads in Sevenoaks are putting young families at risk, according to safety campaigners.

A campaign against speeding vehicles in the Hollybush area has been launched by John Morrison of Bayham Road.

He said the problems were caused by City commuters using quiet roads to bypass traffic lights on the A25 and the congested roundabouts at Riverhead.

Mr Morrison, a member of the Hollybush Residents' Association, organised a traffic count and found some 780 vehicles were using Bayham Road on a Monday morning between 6am and 9am and 270 used Serpentine Road during the same period.

Of those using the road before 8am, he said most appeared to be commuters over the speed limit, cutting from the A25 to Sevenoaks Station, but those after 8am seemed to be on the school run.

Forty-two homeowners in Bayham Road and Serpentine Road have already added their name to Mr Morrison's petition.

He said: "The speed problem in Sevenoaks is like the Wild West compared to other parts of the country. I go to Oxford and it's notable that drivers respect the 30mph limit, but in Sevenoaks they don't because they because they know that the police are unlikely to catch them."

Bayham resident Ann Matthews said the issues were the volume of traffic using the road and that cars sometimes travel at 40 or 50mph.

She said: "People see a big wide road and think that gives them the opportunity to put their foot down.

"The road has always had the problem, but because of the volume increase in traffic it's now getting worse."

Neighbour Rod Barron said: "It's hard to know what the best measures are, maybe some form of traffic calming?"

Roger Newton-Clare is about to move out of the road after 33 years.

He said: "The real concern is there are so many young families in the area and there are a lot of them in the rush hour on foot and in pushchairs."

On Monday, Mr Morrison presented his petition to Sevenoaks Town Council and won support for his campaign.

Town councillor Merilyn Canet, of Hollybush Lane, said: "I am keen to encourage more careful and slower driving in Sevenoaks and will help with a survey of traffic in Bayham Road and other areas."

Mr Morrison said he hoped the issue would be considered by Sevenoaks' Joint Transportation Board later this year.

Bob Carpenter, of the St John's Residents' Association, confirmed his area had its own issues with rat runs in Bradbourne Road and St John's Road, but he said these were unlikely to be linked to commuter journeys.

What do you think? Comment online at www.thisiskent.co.uk/sevenoaks