More than 1,000 drivers were spoken to this morning by police manning a road check in the area where a pensioner was knocked down and killed.

The 70-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle as she used a pelican crossing on the A20 at Harrietsham near the junction with West Street at about 8.45am yesterday.

The driver failed to stop.

The road check involved 20 officers who stopped drivers on both sides of the A20 in the hope of talking to potential witnesses and gathering information.

It ran from 8am and 9.45am and caused traffic delays.

Police are continuing their search for the driver of a dark green coloured Landrover Discovery which is believed to have been in the area at the time the collision took place.

Sgt Guy Ditcher, of Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We’ve received a lot of useful information from today’s road check. Someone out there knows who is responsible for this tragedy and I would urge them to come forward as soon as possible.

"I’m grateful for the support shown by the local community since the incident and also to the drivers for their patience during the check this morning.”

The woman is believed to come from the Harrietsham area but police said they would not be releasing her name until her next of kin had been informed.

The number of deaths on Maidstone’s roads has continued to rise this year, leaving it with the worst accident record in Kent.

Between January 1 and June 30 this year, five people died in road accidents, 28 suffered serious injuries and 221 had slight injuries.

In 2007 15 people died in 11 crashes on the borough’s roads and 82 people were seriously injured. In 2005 the death toll was just five people and there were 74 serious injuries.

County and Maidstone councillor, Ian Chittenden (Lib Dem), has been urging Kent County Council to produce a report into why so many people are dying on Maidstone’s roads.

He said: "I am very sad to hear there has been another death on Maidstone’s roads and it adds to the urgency which is needed for this report and an action plan."

Anyone with information about thursday's incident is asked to contact Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538 or call Kent Crimestoppers free and anonymously on 0800 555111.