“Reckless” drivers are using a major road through High Wycombe as a “racetrack” after 9pm – prompting a petition to install a speed camera.

The A40 London Road between the Station Road roundabout in Loudwater and the retail park in Wycombe Marsh is a straight and therefore “ideal” for those drivers who want to put their foot down, a new petition claims.

Kayleigh Haslett, who has started the bid for a speed camera, said in the last six months near the part of the road she lives on, she has seen “five accidents, one death and countless close calls”.

She said: “I watched as a driver who was speeding so fast, that he lost control, mounted the curb and hit a pedestrian waiting at a bus stop. Luckily the pedestrian lived, but was taken to hospital with severe injuries.”

Although there is no suggestion that speed was a factor, KFC worker Nesaar Khan, 20, died in a crash at the junction with Hammersley Lane on September 6 in the latest tragic incident on the road.

Nesaar was reportedly driving home from work on his moped with a takeaway for his mother when he was involved in a crash with a car at around 8.35pm that night.

Kayleigh wrote: “The London Road in Wycombe is such a necessity. Not only is it the main road through Wycombe, but it’s key for all emergency services to access neighbouring locations. The issue is how fast and recklessly people drive on it.

“Come 9pm, the road is used as a racetrack. As it’s a straight road from Station Road roundabout in Loudwater, down to the retail park, it’s ‘ideal’ for people putting their foot down and driving at seriously dangerous speeds.

“The council need to look into speed cameras along the road. It’s the only suitable option as speed bumps would hinder the emergency services.”

The busy road has a 30mph speed limit and already has one speed camera, which is up by The Rye.

So far, 236 people agree with Kayleigh’s calls for another one to be added.

“The lack of any visible and serious effort to reduce the rapid recent increase in dangerous driving around High Wycombe from any local agency has led me to sign this,” wrote David Jephcott. “Everyone sees it, every day. What they don’t see is anybody doing anything and the issue getting worse.”

Liz Gordon wrote: “It’s so dangerous for anyone else using the road late at night – driver or pedestrian.”

Sharon Green wrote: “I use this road every night. Tonight, two cars ahead of me went through a red light towards town at the bottom of Hammersley Lane. I think we need cameras on the lights too.”

And Pat Stallwood wrote: “This has always been a dangerous road and needs sorting.”

Buckinghamshire Council says on its website that it prefers other speed reduction measures instead of new speed cameras, like road layout changes or signing and lining modifications.

Buckinghamshire Council does not usually comment on live petitions, but we have asked them for a statement about the petition, which you can sign here - www.change.org/p/wycombe-council-speed-camera-on-london-road