PLANS are on track to improve a dangerous road junction at Sedgefield during the summer.

Residents were consulted in February on proposals by Durham County Council to ban drivers from making a right turn from the A689 dual carriageway on to Stockton Road.

Last year, Teesside coroner Michael Sheffield called for the junction to be sealed off after a collision between a motorbike and minibus.

The September accident claimed the lives of motorcyclist James Cooper and pillion passenger Elizabeth Munt, both 20 and from Billingham.

He expressed concern to the county council about the number of other accidents on the dual carriageway since the £7m upgrade of the A689 in 2002.

Sedgefield Town Council also suggested a ban on right turns.

A county council spokesman said the initial consultation had been completed.

"We have taken the comments received from residents during that process on board. We have drawn up a more detailed proposal which we have now given to Sedgefield Town Council for its views.

"We are still on course for achieving our original aim for work to begin during the summer."

If the plans go ahead, drivers will have to drive on to the A177 roundabout and double back before turning left into Sedgefield instead of cutting across two lanes of the road.

A spokeswoman for the town council said members had welcomed the proposals at a meeting on Monday.

"The town council also welcomed the fact that the county council took on board many of the comments we had put to them prior to the public consultation," she said.

A letter will be sent to the county council to find out a start date and duration of the work.

The town council will also ask the county to monitor the situation in relation to speed and accidents once the right turn ban is in place.

The spokeswoman said: "Obviously, the town council will monitor the situation itself. We are on the front line and we hear about many of the incidents not reported to the police or the county council.

"We will gather the information to gain a comprehensive picture to have an indication how effective the works have been."