Parents are too "too scared" to let their children walk to school via a busy road where a ten-year-old girl was tragically killed, it has been claimed.

New road signage has recently been put in place along Watling Street, Dartford, close to the scene where Lily May Lockwood was fatally struck by a yellow Audi S1.

But parents, local residents and a town councillor say this does not go far enough.

The tragic incident happened in July near the junction with Meadow Way. The Brent primary school pupil was rushed to hospital in London but sadly died as a result of her injuries.

There is a history of crashes along the road and Kent County Council has now erected two children crossing signs close to the playground near Lily's home.

And while the warning for motorists is seen as a move in the right direction, local councillor Kelly Grehan says she and other parents want to see more action taken to protect school kids.

"It is better than nothing but only just I would say," the Kent County councillor for Dartford North East said.

Cllr Grehan, whose son attends Brent primary school where Lily was a pupil, says she has spoken with various parents who now drive their kids to school out of fear.

The mum-of-two wants to see a zebra or pelican crossing put in place along the busy road, along with other traffic calming measures.

She said: "I've spoken to enough parents that are too scared for their kids to walk along the road.

"It can't be right that children feel frightened walking to school and as a result a lot of them are driven to school on very short journeys because their families feel safer."

Cllr Grehan, who is part of the Dartford Safer Roads campaign group, says she has consistently asked Kent County County (KCC) to make changes.

She has also asked for a traffic assessment to be carried out to gauge the full extent of the problems.

But more than three months on since Cllr Grehan first raised the issue with the highway authority she says no real progress has been made.

It was hoped the issue could be flagged at this month's full KCC meeting but this was cancelled at short notice amid rising Covid-19 rates.

The Labour councillor said this was understandable but warned of the consequences of further delays.

She said: "I was expecting the assessment to say a crossing wasn't needed and then start working out how to campaign to show that assessment was wrong.

"But we have not even had the assessment three months later. So in the meantime however many children are crossing every day to get to school."

Dartford fire station is a short distance from where the fatal incident took place and the road is close to Darent Valley Hospital.

Cllr Grehan added: "It is a very busy road used by a lot of children with no traffic calming measures from one end to the other.

"Obviously its constantly used by ambulances and fire engines which may be part of the reason originally nothing was put in. But it is an unsafe road whatever way you look at it."

A man in his 50s who was driving a yellow Audi S1 was arrested following the incident on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while impaired.

Tributes were left at the scene where members of the local community gathered to pay their respects and in recent weeks Christmas decorations have been added.

A fundraiser was also set up to support the family and has raised more than £7,000 to date.

An inquest into Lily's death was opened earlier this year and had been due to take place this week but has now been postponed until the New Year, whilst police enquiries continue.

A KCC spokesman said: “As with all fatal and serious crashes, Kent Police undertake a robust investigation to ascertain any causation factors.

“The findings are then shared with KCC, which upon advice from police and the county coroner, undertakes any highway engineering work deemed necessary to help mitigate a similar type of incident from occurring again.

“We are unable to comment on the circumstances surrounding this incident while the Kent Police investigation remains active.”

Investigators are keen to speak to anyone who might be able to help inquiries.

Call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538 quoting reference HW/LB/60/21. You can also email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk