SAFETY improvements on a notorious accident blackspot in Bromsgrove are likely to begin in August.

Two sets of traffic lights will be installed on the A491, at Belbroughton, near the junction of Hartle Lane to try and prevent further fatalities on the busy road, which has seen seven deaths in the last five years.

The scheme, costing around £200,000, will also see the banning of right-turns into and out of the Clent junction and will include reducing the dual carriageway to one-lane and the speed limit to 50mph on the approach to the traffic signals.

Part of the lane will be painted red to encourage drivers to slow down.

Bromsgrove Highways Partnership manager Jon Fraser confirmed the project had been due to start in May but plans needed to be modified after concerns were raised about visibility approaching the signals and the possibility of shunt-type accidents.

Work is now due to start on August 11 and should be complete by Christmas.

Belbroughton Parish Council chairman Tim Cherry said: "We're relieved it's going ahead. It's going to be 100 per cent safer than it is at the moment."

The partnership opted for traffic lights after a controversial scheme to close all right-turn gaps was thrown out by a Government inspector following a public inquiry in May 2001.

Pressure group, the A491 What Price Lives? Committee - wanted two roundabouts at Clent and Belbroughton but highways bosses said they would be too expensive.