LONG-AWAITED plans for a roundabout at a notorious accident blackspot have been welcomed at a special exhibition putting designs on show for the first time.

Residents were given a first look at the Highways England scheme for improvements at the Hare Green and Pellens Corner junctions of the A120 at Great Bromley Village Hall.

The £3million project will see a new two-lane roundabout built at the Hare Green junction,anew crossing point for horse riders and cyclists, and a link road to join Park Road to the new county council- funded roundabout.

Gaps allowing traffic to cross the central reservation at the Pellens Corner junction will be closed.

Highways England development manager Andy Jobling said: “Most people are really positive and everyone is pretty keen to see the junctions improved. Everyone wants to see the A120 dualled, but that is a long-termaspiration and is not happening in the foreseeable future.

“We cannot wait for that to happen, because there are problems to solve now. In 2012 we tried to make improvements to the right turns and initially safety did improve, but after six months accidents started to happen again.”

Mr Jobling confirmed the 50mph speed limit introduced as a temporary measure last December would remain in place. A series of horror crashes at the blackspot have claimed three lives. District councillor for the area Fred Nicholls, who has been campaigning for improvements at the junction for eight years, is delighted with the details of the scheme.

He said: “I think it is brilliant – a wonderful scheme – and to come here and see improvements after such a long time is brilliant.

“The most important thing is safety. People travelling may have to go up to Horsley Cross, but that is a diversion of three or four minutes.”

Work is expected to begin next summer and take between six and nine months to complete.