A 72-year-old woman who claims she is too “terrified” to use one of South Derbyshire’s busiest roundabouts is calling for traffic lights to be installed at each of its junctions.

Mildred Hewitt, who refuses to use the notorious Tollgate island, said traffic lights needed to be installed on each of Tollgate’s five junctions to ensure safety of drivers and pedestrians.

Mrs Hewitt spoke to the Burton Mail after dashcam footage showing a young girl running out in front of a car driving towards the Woodville island was revealed.

The roundabout has been the scene of many crashes and near-misses over the years as an increase in nearby housing developments has led to a rise in the amount of traffic in the area, creating chaos and headaches for the motorists attempting to navigate the island.

As well as relieving the Tollgate roundabout, 2,000 jobs will be created if the regeneration route is given approval
As well as relieving the Tollgate roundabout, 2,000 jobs will be created if the regeneration route is given approval

Mrs Hewitt said: “It is time the council put traffic lights in at every junction. When my husband drives to Burton and uses that roundabout I won’t come with him because I hate it so much. It is terrifying to drive round. I have never seen so much traffic round a roundabout.”

However, Mrs Hewitt's pleas have fallen on deaf ears with Derbyshire County Council’s highways department claiming it would cause more problems.

A council spokesman said: "This is not a site we would consider suitable for traffic lights due to the queues they would create along the A511."

The call for action on Tollgate comes just months after it was revealed that the much-needed Woodville-Swadlincote Regeneration Route had taken a step forward when it had become “priority” for the Government. The route would cost £10.5 million and would relieve congestion on the Tollgate island by creating a vital bypass.

The development, which centres on a new link road from the A511 through the brownfield 'Tollgate Park' site to the A514, is expected to create 1,873 jobs and 173 homes.