A BUSY Borehamwood roundabout could cause a fatal accident unless major safety improvements are made, says a group of driving instructors.

Members of the Borehamwood Driving Instructors Association (BDIA) claim the shape and a lack of road markings on Stirling Corner are potentially life threatening.

Association member Craig Lesser, 36, of Lexington Close, explained the oval roundabout did not create a significant bend in the road and allowed motorists on the A1 to speed across it.

He said the amount of near misses at the junction was alarming and warned a serious accident was just around the corner unless improvements were made.

The group is calling on Transport for London (TFL) to abandon a three-month trial, under which the part-time signals on the A1 have been switched off, and to make meaningful changes to slow down vehicles on the main road.

BDIA member, Paul Drackett, 44, of Aycliffe Road, said: “There will be a serious problem, someone could potentially be killed there, I'm afraid to say it's that bad. I really worry about the situation now the lights are off.

“Coupled with the Morrisons opening, congestion has got worse since they turned the lights off. I cannot see the free-flow of the A1 was a real problem before. Now they are absolutely streaming across with nothing to slow them down. I can't see the point of the trial.”

Fellow instructor Steven Davies, 54, of Boreham Holt, added: “It's a terrible mistake, because there's nothing to slow the traffic down.

“At least there was a chance to pull out relatively safely before, but now you take your life in your hands.”

Mr Davies said the TFL trial could have increased traffic flow on the A1, but it was causing congestion for drivers approaching from the Borehamwood and Barnet entrances, as they struggled to join the system.

TFL confirmed that during the trial it is only directly monitoring traffic on the A1, which is under its jurisdiction, but it is considering the congestion on other local roads after feedback from agencies such as Hertfordshire Highways.

The Stirling Corner trial is due to end on June 21 and a decision on the permanent removal of the lights is expected to be made a few days later.

The BDIA believe the elimination of these signals could spell disaster for the safety and flow of Borehamwood motorists.

The group has set up an online petition calling on TFL to paint new road markings, install signals at each entrance and keep traffic lights on 24 hours a day at Stirling Corner.

The BDIA petition is live at ipetitions.com