A NOTORIOUS junction, slammed as dangerous by a coroner, is to have traffic lights installed to help prevent further tragedies .

More than 2,000 people signed a petition for a roundabout at the Portobello crossroads, near Shipston, after former district councillor Jeff Kenner launched a campaign last year.

Now Warwickshire County Council has agreed to install traffic lights at the crossroads where the A429 and B4035 roads meet.

Mr Kenner said he was 'absolutely delighted' to have a successful outcome to the campaign and the notorious crossroads would be made much safer for road users.

"It is not a roundabout but it is the next best option. This would never have happened without the campaign and petition. It also means it will be a much better opportunity to attract people to turn off for Shipston and use a new supermarket and the town centre.

Sean McGovern, senior coroner for Warwickshire, presided over the inquest of Julios Catachanas who died at the accident blackspot just before Christmas 2014. Afterwards he sent a report to the county council's chief executive, Jim Graham, saying that unless action was taken, 'future deaths would occur'.

By June 2015 there had been a further two accidents at the same spot.

Mr McGovern highlighted a lack of lighting at the rural junction among his concerns.

His report read: "In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you, as chief executive of Warwickshire County Council, have the power to take such action."

He asked for a response detailing action taken or proposed, with timetables, or an explanation if no action is proposed.

County council principal engineer Mark O'Connell wrote: "I commissioned a report to determine whether or not a traffic signal junction would be feasible at the site.

"As part of the report, traffic flows and vehicle speeds were interrogated and data analysed, subsequently the study found traffic signals could operate at this site successfully. I strongly believe this is the best direction to take the project forward."

Mr Kenner said: "I would like to thank everyone who has signed the petitions, drawn up banners, gone to Warwick for the meetings and, of course, the Catachanas family for their backing. Now let's see this through."

A county council spokesman said it hoped the redesigned crossroads with traffic signals would be installed this autumn.