WORK is set to start today on making several safety improvements to the A413 by-pass at Gerrards Cross, which has a history of high collision rates.

The stretch between Tatling End and the Kingsway will have vegetation cut back from the verges, fresh lines painted and new signs installed to encourage motorists to drive carefully.

A council has also decided to switch the street lights back on over most of the stretch. The lights had been switched off as part of a cash-saving trial.

In November last year two 20-year-old friends, Casey Robson and Nicole Hitchings-Wooden, both died in a crash on the A413 (see link below).

Richard Nicholls, 20, from Chalfont St Peter, died after his vehicle collided with a railway bridge on the road in June. Elaine Stacey, 23, and cyclist Jim Fleming have also died on the road in recent years (see links) .

A statement from Buckinghamshire County said: “To minimise disruption, works will coincide with planned lane closures for barrier replacement.

“These will concentrate on reducing vegetation on the central reservation particularly around the railway viaduct in order to reduce shading and improve the drying of the road surface after bad weather.

“Following these initial works, further measures will be implemented. These include renewed line painting to improve wet and night time visibility, installation of signing to encourage road users to drive with care and cutting back vegetation to improve sight lines.

“These measures are intended to reduce collisions and casualties and the road will continue to be monitored. Further measures may be brought in as a result of further investigation and analysis.”