LONG overdue improvements planned for a dangerous junction in St Albans where a motorcyclist died in 2011 are being finalised, with hopes work will start before winter.

Colney Heath residents have for years being urging Herts county council (HCC) to make major improvements to the longabout on the A414.

Motorcyclist Neal Christian, 64, died after being thrown into the air, landing 10 metres along the carriageway after colliding with Lorraine Ferris on March 20 in 2011.

She was later convicted at Luton Crown Court of causing death by careless driving.

St Albans district councillor for Colney Heath Chris Brazier said improvements included provision of a safe crossing for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.

He added: “The longabout will effectively be cut in half, so you can turn right without going all the way around it. It will stop the queues from Colney Heath’s High Street, Smallford and Colney Heath Lane.”

Cllr Brazier said the £60,000 project was urgently needed to improve traffic flow as the number of motorists had increased dramatically since the junction was installed 20 years ago.

He explained: “We will have two lanes from Colney Heath High Street, one of which will turn left towards St Albans and the other turning right towards Hatfield.”

The work follows extensive traffic modelling work by HCC.

Residents have regularly complained to the Herts Advertiser about the junction, criticising HCC for allowing motorists to risk life and limb at the longabout while “squandering” money on projects elsewhere in the county.