ANGRY residents have called for an urgent review of methods used to tackle 'idiots' in speeding cars.

It follows complaints that current deterrents are simply not good enough to prevent dangerous driving within their community.

A blanket 20mph speed limit across all residential areas of Saltney has been touted, along with physical restrictions in the form of chicanes, speed bumps and zebra crossings.

At the town's council meeting on Wednesday members of the public and councillors voiced strong views on current measures to tackle speedsters.

Residents complained that a speed limit change was not enough to deal with the problem and that more advanced preventative measures needed to be pursued.

Fresh impetus for a road safety campaign which has been ongoing for months has been sparked after 10-year-old Alfie Watts was critically injured in a collision on Park Avenue area of Saltney on Sunday.

He remains in a seriously ill condition at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Addressing police officers who attended the meeting, resident Sarah Hughes said: “It shouldn’t take something like Sunday’s incident to stir people into action.

“We’ve been campaigning against dangerous driving in Saltney for months.

“A 20mph speed limit for residential areas of the town simply isn’t good enough.

“We need to see drastic changes in the form of speeds bumps and chicanes.”

Resident Colin McGivern complained that the police response to Sunday's incident had come “way too late” for the people of Saltney.

He made an impassioned plea a larger police presence in the area.

Despite feasibility concerns raised, Cllr Arthur Gregory argued for physical preventatives in the form of speeds bumps and chicanes 'to stop the idiots' he believes will simply ignore lower speed limits.

St David's High School in Saltney is going to be putting on road awareness courses for its students and it is hoped there will be a town council led speed awareness event for all Saltney residents to attend in the near future.

Police officers reiterated that they are an active presence in the Saltney area, even if people do not notice them

PC Gavin Gilmour told the meeting: “There have been a lot of new builds in the Penyffordd area and we faced similar issues of dangerous driving there.

“To get the necessary means to prevented took four years and a lot of money.

“To get what people want for Saltney, in terms of speed bumps, traffic islands and chicanes will need a lot of perseverance and a huge amount of pressure on the council.”

At the time of the accident Sgt Liam Ho, of the North Wales Police Roads Policing Unit, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the 10-year-old boy.

“I would like to thank the community of Saltney for their co-operation into this complex inquiry.

“We would like to thank all those who have come forward with information.

“The inquiry is very much still ongoing and we continue to appeal to anybody who may have information and who are yet to come forward to make contact with us as soon as possible quoting reference number X002696.”

Keegan Doyle, 23, of Warren Drive in Broughton, has been bailed after appearing at North East Wales Magistrates Court at charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance and an arson charge which arises from allegations that he attempted to set fire to the Ford Fiesta after the crash.