WORK on a £250,000 scheme to improve safety at a notorious accident blackspot in Belbroughton has been delayed until autumn.

Two sets of traffic lights were due to be installed this month on the A491 at the junction of Hartle Lane. The work should have been completed by Christmas.

But Worcestershire Highways Partnership in Bromsgrove now has to find new contractors to do the work following modifications to the scheme. Partnership manager Jon Fraser said work is now due to start in October.

"We've just got a few more points to iron out," he said.

"We've met with parish councillors and they were disappointed but they could see we need to get it right."

Belbroughton parish council chairman Tim Cherry said: "We're very anxious for the scheme to go ahead."

Traffic lights were picked as the best solution to try to prevent further fatalities on the road.

A controversial scheme to close all right turn gaps was thrown out by a government inspector following a public inquiry in May 2001.

The new safety scheme will see right turns into and out of the Clent junction banned, the dual carriageway reduced to one lane and the speed limit to 50mph approaching the traffic signals.

The single lane will also be painted red and the speed limit will be reduced from 60mph to 30mph in Heath End Lane towards its junction with the A491.