TRAFFIC lights are to be installed at the infamous Newtown crossroads on the A4103 Hereford-Worcester road.

The new safety improvements have been backed by Hereford-shire Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, Mike Wilson.

"This junction has been a cause for concern for many years and the subject of various actions to improve its safety," he said.

"In spite of an initial reduction of accidents following the speed reduction to 40mph, new signs, an anti-skid surface and mobile speed cameras, over the past four years accidents have increased, culminating in a fatality last year."

Councillor Wilson said that because of the death, along with many requests from residents and motorists, actions to improve the junction had been brought forward.

Several solutions were available, he said. Improvement of the existing measures was considered inappropriate due to increasing accident numbers so more drastic measures needed to be taken.

He said that as speed was a contributory factor in only one of the accidents, according to Police reports, a further reduction in the speed limit would have no effect.

The junction accident criteria had not reached a level where the Speed Safety Camera Partnership would consider installing permanent speed cameras, he continued.

Three options were considered, including the realignment of side roads and a roundabout, before it was decided that traffic signals were the best choice.

Coun Wilson said that road realignment would prove costly and preliminary design work for a roundabout revealed it could not meet design standards without the demolition of property, even using land offered by a farmer.

A traffic survey showed, even at peak times there was likely to be between eight and 10 vehicles queuing at the lights and less at other times.

"These can hardly be described as immense and are unlikely to achieve gridlock as has been suggested," continued Coun Wilson.

"Anyone who has used the traffic lights at Trumpet crossroads will know that traffic, for the vast majority of time, flows very smoothly and queues are small on other occasions.

"The decision was agreed by the West Mercia Police, the local member, council officers, myself and, with reservations, by the parish council."