RESIDENTS have rallied together to campaign for Botley Road to be reduced to a 20mph zone after a nine-year-old boy was left seriously injured after being hit by a car.

Earlier this month the youngster was hit by a black Peugeot 207 driven by a 95-year-old man at a pedestrian crossing.

Shocked residents launched a petition to reduce the speed limit on the road to 20mph and install a raised surface at the pedestrian lights.

The boy's family – who wish to remain anonymous – signed the petition and led their support to the campaign.

West Street resident Patricia Murphy, who launched the petition, said: "The Botley Road is lethal because it's a high density, residential area with a school, retirement homes and a very young population.

"A 30mph limit doesn’t give them [drivers] enough reaction time.

"The road is often clogged with traffic anyway and traffic calming measures and a 20mph speed limit won’t affect journey time.

"But it would make all the difference for the survival rates of a pedestrian."

A similar campaign was launched by residents in 2009, but failed, and in 2011 it was revealed the Botley Road speed camera was the third most prolific in the county with 737 drivers being caught in just one month.

Nearly 100 people have now signed the petition, kickstarted by the collision on February 6, and it will be handed to Oxfordshire County Council next month.

The current condition of the boy is unknown but a statement released on behalf of the boy's parents said: "We are tremendously grateful for all the support that has been shown in the local community, and farther afield.

"We are keen supporters of the campaign to make Botley Road safer."

Oxford city councillor for the area Susanna Pressel said: "Plenty of have already signed the petition which was set up very promptly by shocked local residents.

"Many of them tell me that they have seen accidents or near misses on Botley Road.

"We are asking the county council either to introduce a 20 mph speed limit or to put in raised surfaces at the three pedestrian crossings west of Osney Bridge.

"I hope Oxford Mail readers will sign the petitions at gopetition.com/petitions or in local shops and West Oxford Community Centre."

Police still want to speak to the occupants of a Nissan Juke and a silver Audi A4 who are believed to have stopped at the crossing at the time of the collision.

No arrests have been made.