RESIDENTS have branded Greenock"s Lyle Road 'a race track' and say it is only a matter of time before someone is killed by speeding motorists.

Now they are calling for speed traps in a bid to solve the problem.

New dad Iain Miller, who has lived in the street for the last three years, said the problem seems to be getting worse.

He is planning to build a driveway to enable him to park his car off the road.

He said several neighbours have suffered from the effects of out of control cars which have caused damage to gardens and several parked cars over the past few years.

Thirty-one year old Iain, who works as a buyer for an electronics company, said: 'If, from time to time, the police would set up speed traps, people might have second thoughts about coming over the hill at speed.' He added his concerns about safety had been heightened since the birth of baby Ella seven weeks ago.

He said: 'I am concerned about my car being parked in the street but, more importantly, my wife Fiona is now walking up the hill with the pram regularly.' He claimed motorists were often driving at 70 miles per hour and above in the 30mph zone and added: 'I think someone is going to be killed before long.

'You never see the police up there. If you are doing 35mph along East Hamilton Street you will get done but, if drivers do 70mph over Lyle Hill, there is no one there and this is a residential area.

'We have seen a lot more speeding motorists throughout the night recently because we have been up feeding the baby. It is like a race track.' Neighbour William Gamble said he had lived in the road for 30 years.

'It has been getting worse over the past couple of years. As soon as they come over the hill they just put their foot down.' Another neighbour, Scott Lindsay (28), who works as a clerical assistant, said something had to be done and suggested road bumps could be the answer.

Inspector John Malcolm of the traffic department at Greenock police station said: 'There have been complaints and we have carried out surveys in the past. There is not a constant speeding issue. From time to time excessive speeds have been recorded and we will give the area extra attention.'