A councillor narrowly avoided a collision with a boy racer while investigating a race-meet on a dual carriageway in Greenhithe.

Frustrated residents have previously described living near Crossways Boulevard as like "living on the set of a knock-off Fast and Furious", leading to Dartford Council approving a public space protection order (PSPO) to tackle anti-social gatherings.

Kent County Councillor for Swanscombe and Greenhithe, Cllr Peter Harman, campaigned for the introduction of the PSPO - which was approved in May - but says police are failing to tackle the issue after heading down to the area last Friday night.

Cllr Harman, who is also chair of the Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents’ Association (SGRA), said he drove to investigate following reports around 30 cars had gathered at the Burger King in Crossways Boulevard.

"The thing that's most surprising is that when I attended the area I nearly got my car smashed by one of these cars," he said.

"I was going around the roundabout and one of the cars was flying around. It just missed me.

"I put in an emergency call at 1am and said what happened. We agreed I would wait until police attended but they still didn't come. That was 1am Saturday morning.

'I think if there was a crash or fatality something would happen...'

"I'd gone down to have a look, to liaise with police and talk to residents, but there was no one down there from police.

"I rang them back at about 1.30am and they said we haven't got any vehicles available.

"It concerns me. If that's the state of the police at the moment where are we going?"

"I think if there was a crash or fatality something would happen.

"It beggars belief they're not dealing with it. If someone was killed they would have the road shut down."

Other residents have also expressed their anger over the car-meets, and footage shows cars racing on the dual-carriageway and skidding around a roundabout.

Cllr Harman has also written to Kent Police's chief constable Alan Pughsley, who he says he wrote to last year asking for action on the same issue.

He wrote: "It appears that nothing has changed in the past 11 months since I last contacted you; except that Dartford Borough Council has in recent months worked very hard at introducing a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

"It is therefore very disappointing that this kind of dangerous activity can still be allowed to take place on the public highway for over four hours without any effective police intervention.

"Indeed a number of residents have reported to me that your control officers do not even appear to be treating these incidents as serious when they phone seeking help.

"I have no doubt that if (and when) another fatality occurs on this dual carriageway due to dangerous driving then your colleagues will be making a large attendance to close the road and investigate the death; but surely it would be better for some effort to be made now to prevent this happening.

"Many residents are effectively saying that Kent Police is no longer “fit for purpose”; and as representatives of local residents it is becoming harder for our committee not to agree with those statements.

"However, if it really is the case that you had no officers available over a four hour period to attend to stop this dangerous and anti-social behaviour then, regrettably, it does call the effectiveness of Kent Police into question."

A statement from Kent Police said they were aware of nuisance vehicles in the area of Crossways Boulevard, Greenhithe, at around 9.15pm on Friday.

It added: "Throughout the evening officers attended the area, however no offences were seen being committed.

"Officers are aware of residents’ concerns regarding anti-social behaviour in the area and continue to monitor the area with regular patrols.

"Kent Police is working with local businesses and stakeholders to ensure those who commit offences are held accountable.

"Should any offences be witnessed then we will seek to enforce the Public Space Protection Order which could see drivers being issued with £100 fines.

"We would urge the public not to put themselves at risk but to reports any concerns on the Kent Police website."