REVISED plans including a signal controlled pedestrian crossing have been unveiled in a bid to make the Hunters Lodge ‘death trap’ junction near Lyme Regis safer.

The notorious A35 junction, at the turning point with Lyme Road near the Hunters Lodge Inn, claimed the lives of two elderly holidaymakers in 2013 when their Corsa was involved in a collision with a Renault van.

After the crash, David Parker, the owner of Sea Tree House, described the major road to Lyme Regis as a ‘death trap’.

There was renewed momentum for something to be done after a 78-year-old man from Poole was killed in another fatal crash in June.

Traffic lights were ruled out by the Highways Agency in December after a public meeting four months earlier.

However, a meeting last Friday between Axminster, Hawkchurch and Uplyme parish councils, together with Tiverton MP Neil Parish and Nigel Dyson from Highways England discussed a revised scheme for the junction.

Lois Wakeman, clerk to Uplyme Parish Council, said: “Both councillors and Mr Parish were delighted to hear that a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing was planned east of the junction, to allow safe crossing by the Raymonds Hill Post Office.

“This might also leave occasional gaps in the traffic to allow vehicles to exit west from the side roads.”

Other features of the plan included red hatching road markings, an increase of the 40mph speed restriction both west and east of the notorious junction, and vehicle activated signs which would detect turning vehicles, giving ‘advanced notice’ to vehicles travelling on the A35.

The work, costing an estimated £250,000, is expected to start in spring 2016.

A map of the proposed A35 improvements is available on the Uplyme Parish Council website at uplymeparishcouncil.org.