A �400,000 scheme to reduce accidents at the notorious Kings Ripton junction with the A141 is due to start on Easter Tuesday, April 14. The move follows the death of 16-year-old pedestrian Warren Hay in May 2007 as he crossed the Huntingdon northern bypas

A �400,000 scheme to reduce accidents at the notorious Kings Ripton junction with the A141 is due to start on Easter Tuesday, April 14.

The move follows the death of 16-year-old pedestrian Warren Hay in May 2007 as he crossed the Huntingdon northern bypass on his way to the playing fields at Jubilee Park, and a number of accidents involving right-turning traffic.

The works include installing traffic signals at the junction with a staggered pedestrian crossing on the A141. This will help cars turning right as well as making it safer for people crossing the road using the link between Sapley Road and Kings Ripton Road, Cambridgeshire County Council said.

The street lighting around the junction will also be upgraded to conform to the current standards.

The scheme is being jointly funded by Cambridgeshire County Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and Huntingdon Town Council.

"The junction is identified as an accident cluster site," a county council spokesman said. "Between January 2002 and March 2008 there were 15 accidents involving injury. Of these, 11 involved vehicles turning right out of the junction colliding with vehicles heading east on the A141."

Warren's death happened as a group of young people crossed from Sapley Road towards Jubilee Park.

During the construction of the scheme there will be a temporary road closure at the Kings Ripton Road/A141 junction. During the road closure residential properties, as well as Jubilee Park, the Kart Track and other buildings must be accessed via the northern junction near Kings Ripton. There will be no access to Kings Ripton Road from the A141, the spokesman said.

Diversion signing will be in place when the road is closed and the council urges that drivers use this signed route rather than the smaller villages as a diversion route.

Temporary traffic signals and a reduced speed limit will be in place during the works. However, as it is a priority route, no works will be carried out on the main carriageway of A141 between 7.30am and 9.30am or 3.30pm and 5.30pm on weekdays.

The A141 will be closed between the A1123 (Texaco roundabout) and the roundabout by Tesco on two occasions. This will be a 24-hour closure for two consecutive Sundays towards the completion of the scheme to undertake the resurfacing works. The exact dates will depend on the progress of the works.

Sue Parsons, Lead Engineer for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "This much-needed scheme will improve safety for motorists and pedestrians at this accident site. It has been made possible thanks to a whole host of organisations and the community working together, including a campaign by The Hunts Post.

"We never take the decision to close a road lightly but this will make sure works are finished as quickly as possible.