A pedestrian refuge and traffic calming measures will be built on the A590 in Barrow as part of the �17,000 scheme.

It will be outside the Robert McBride factory on Park Road in the town and will mean people crossing the road will only need to negotiate one lane of traffic at a time.

The area was identified as a potential problem area for pedestrians trying to cross.

Highways Agency project manager Peter Hamer said: "The pedestrian refuge will make it easier and safer for people to cross the road in a location where they are currently finding it difficult.

Road study

"The scheme will improve accessibility along this length of A590, where there are significant numbers of pedestrians including workers walking to McBride's factory."

Work will start on 21 January and is expected to last three weeks.

Concerns have been raised about the safety of the road, which is the only road link to the M6 from Barrow and is the most heavily used trunk road in Cumbria.

Last year, Furness coroner Ian Smith expressed concern about the road after presiding over inquests of a number of road accident victims.

In October, roads minister David Jamieson said a bypass for the villages of High and Low Newton on the A590 would be built.

The Highways Agency is to carry out a study which will look at the whole road and all the issues connected with it including safety.