SAFETY work is set to take place on the approaches to one of Felixstowe port's busy gates, where there have been a series of serious crashes.

SAFETY work is set to take place on the approaches to one of Felixstowe port's busy gates, where there have been a series of serious crashes.

Accident investigation work is under way at Dock gate Two roundabout, Trinity Avenue, Fagbury Road and Walton Avenue, to try to cut the number of incidents at the junction, used every day by around 3,000 lorries and thousands of cars.

There have been a few incidents of lorries rolling over at the roundabout and several crashes involving cars.

The most serious accidents have occurred on Trinity Avenue near the Anzani filling station.

Five years ago coroner Peter Dean asked Suffolk County Council to take action after an 80-year-old motorist was killed after he drove the wrong way down Anzani Avenue out of the petrol station onto the dual carriageway and collided with a lorry.

It is a manoeuvre dozens of drivers perform every day in a bid to avoid going up the A14 or the trip around the Parker Avenue Business Park to get back to the port or town.

There has also been continuing concern over lorries and cars doing U-turns through the gap in the central reservation to get from the filling station back to the port.

Suffolk County Council has spent £1,000 on signs to raise motorist's awareness that there have been accidents recorded at Trinity Avenue and Dock Gate Two and are currently being investigated for possible safety improvements.

A spokeswoman said: “Once a scheme is identified for possible safety improvements, an initial investigation of the accidents is carried out and promoted through our Local Transport Plan for funding.

“If a location is successful in obtaining funding a more detailed investigation is then undertaken.

“The scheme is designed and consulted upon before implementation. These processes may take between six to 18 months depending on the size and complexity of the scheme.”

The temporary signs stay the locations until either works are undertaken or it is decided that no further action is necessary.

“It is hoped that their presence will prevent further accidents during this period of time. We will monitor the effectiveness of these signs and report our findings back to the Suffolk Roadsafe Board,” she added.