Giant polka dots have been painted on a street in Melbourne’s inner-west, in a move designed to improve road safety, but many residents fear it could prove fatal.

Maribyrnong City Council painted the spots on Anderson Street in Yarraville on Tuesday night.

Mayor Michael Clarke says it’s part of a “traffic calming initiative”.

“When you’ve got big circles like this … instead of a driver just driving down the street, almost at times in a bit of a torpor, the colours and the brightness actually create a bit of a neural stimulation, and the first response is the driver slows down,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“I’ve already had some feedback from one of the restaurateurs there … it does look like cars are slowing down in response to the polka dots.”

But concerned locals say the polka dots will encourage kids to play on the road, and may lead to children being hit by cars.

A petition calling for the spots to be removed has been signed by more than 250 people.

Councillor Clarke says it’s a problem the council considered before installing the dots.

“I actually put that question to the grade sixes at St Margaret’s Primary School in Maribyrnong, and all 41 kids were very clear that they wouldn’t run onto the road just to look at circles,” he said.

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