FOUNDER members of the new Kings Road Residents' Association Steve Musco and Kevin Hall got down to business this week to raise the profile on the road's parking and development problems.

Frustrated by the lack of action to stop commuter parking and speeding traffic, as well as a need to highlight the dangers to pedestrians using the narrow road near the station, the two neighbours and friends are hoping to persuade the authorities to help residents.

At the top of their agenda for action is to stop parking on the bend of Kings Road opposite the footbridge over the railway line which they say is dangerous, especially for children who cross the road at that point.

They are also concerned about mothers with children crossing further up the road.

Commuters, some of whom seem to pay little heed to road markings in the road, "squeeze in wherever they can," said Mr Hall.

Mr Musco said: "My wife suffers verbal abuse from commuters even when she is trying to edge out of our own drive. It's disgraceful."

Hoping to stop speeding heavy vehicles, including 40 ton articulated lorries, coaches and other traffic, Mr Hall warned: "This road was never constructed for this sort of traffic; it is unclassified and the sewers underneath could collapse."

Over the years Mr Hall and Mr Musco say they have seen growing problems, with extra traffic being generated by the Royal Mail sorting office and The Herons leisure centre.

Already 14 residents in the road have pledged their support for the action group and Mr Hall is convinced more will follow.

Also concerned about a number of proposed developments, Mr Hall said that most residents did not want to see the current Kings Road garage, which was the subject of an unsuccessful recent planning application for flats, replaced with light industrial units.

"I do not believe we need more industrial traffic in Kings Road," said Mr Hall.

Mr Hall and Mr Musco, who recently had preliminary talks with Surrey County Council over the problems, hope that it will look at the number of yellow lines in the road, some of which, claimed Mr Hall, were "unenforceable by law," and add extra parking restrictions to the bend.

They are also hoping that a proposal put forward by SCC's principal engineer Tracey Webb, to consider putting in two chicanes in the road to help slow traffic down and discourage large, heavy vehicles from using the road as a rat run, comes to fruition.