RESIDENTS are outraged after work on the “dangerous” Portobello crossroads near Shipston was delayed again.

The work on the Fosse Way signal poles has been postponed until early 2018.

Amendments to the cables across the junction need to be made and trees will be removed from the kerbside.

Former Stratford-on-Avon District Councillor Jeff Kenner said: “Quite frankly we are disgusted by the sheer incompetence of the council and the failure of our county councillors to hold them to account.

“We will keep campaigning until we get a roundabout.”

The notorious junction, where the A429 and B4035 meet, has been a major concern to the community for years.

In January 2015, Mr Kenner petitioned for the roads to be made safer after an accident resulted in the death of 25-year-old driver Julios Catachanas in December 2014.

More than 2,000 people signed the petition demanding a roundabout after Warwickshire Coroner Sean McGovern said urgent action was needed.

Mr Kenner believes the council chose to install traffic lights because this would be a quicker and cheaper option than building a roundabout.

“Now, two years later we are still waiting with ever more unconvincing excuses coming from the council,” he said.

Residents have expressed concern for their safety after hearing about the delays.

Geraldine Lawrence, 74, retired, from Stretton-on-Fosse, said: “I feel very strongly that something needs to be done about the Portobello crossroads as soon as possible.

“It has always been a dangerous junction, mostly due to the speed vehicles travel on the Fosse Way.

"I have seen the aftermath of many incidents there and feel that it is only a matter of time before there is another one.

“The council need to stop making excuses for delaying the work.

"The whole thing smacks of incompetence and bureaucracy to me. If people start campaigning for a roundabout now I feel it will only cause further delays.”

Some members of the community are confused about how long it will take to chop the trees down.

Sasha Steel, 49, passes the junction four times a day taking her four children to school.

She said: “It really wouldn’t take much time to trim back trees and shrubs to put much needed lights in, a price that is a must for the health and safety for others.”

Gwen Kiely, 83, retired, from Shipston-on-Stour, said the reasons for postponing are “utter nonsense”.

She said: “I just feel so sad that it takes so long for anything to get done for us. I use that junction often coming from Shipston and you can’t see what is coming up the Fosse Way from the right.

“I don’t mind if we get lights or a roundabout but someone needs to get their finger out and do something.”

Others have said a roundabout should to be built, rather than placing traffic lights.

Sarah Timms, 44, from Shipston-on-Stour, believes the lights won’t solve the problem when people are driving at an “excess of 50mph”.

“Traffic lights won’t aid this as the traffic won’t be slowing down,” she said.

“A roundabout will force drivers to slow down as they approach, making it safer to join or cross the road.”

A Warwickshire County Council spokesperson said: “Private trees in the North East of the junction are within the visibility of the proposed signal poles.

“Warwickshire County Council Forestry have stated that the new layout of altering the kerbline could potentially destabilise the trees and hence trees removal is required before any construction work commences.”