Work is progressing to improve safety at a notorious A66 junction in West Cumbria, with building work expected start in 2018/19.

While the Government announced plans last week to spend £2.6 million improving the Melbreak roundabout at Great Clifton and the Fitz roundabout at Cockermouth, some people were disappointed by the lack of news on the Brigham/Broughton staggered junction on the A66.

For many years, people have been calling for improvements at the accident blackspot.

Eric Nicholson, who is a Cockermouth town, borough and county councillor, and Allerdale councillor Nicky Cockburn, of Great Broughton, both said they would have liked to see money being spent on the junction.

Last September Kier Construction, working on behalf of Highways England, revealed initial plans for a four-way roundabout.

Exploratory work has since taken place on land near the staggered junction to assess the ground conditions.

Asset manager for Highways England Jonathan Reade said: "The announcements last week regarding the Fitz and Great Clifton roundabout were in response to economic growth and the Moorside development.

"The Brigham/Broughton junction is about safety so it's kind of a different thing."

He said work was continuing to design a scheme for the site.

Mr Reade added: "We are looking to finalise the design in the next financial year and start discussions with affected landowners.

"The staggered junction will have an impact on land that we do not own so we have to start discussions with people."

New highway orders would need to be created to allow the road to be realigned across land currently used for farming, Mr Reade added.

He said: "Once we have progressed the design and had discussions we will have a really good understanding of the overall cost of the scheme and we can then make a bid.

"Given the complexities of the whole scheme we will probably have another 12 months of design and discussions.

"Construction can hopefully start in the 2018/19 financial year if we get the necessary funding."

Broughton Parish Council chairman Sue Hannah, who first began campaigning for a roundabout the the junction around 20 years ago, said: "We always knew it would be a long, drawn-out process. We are reasonably optimistic.

"Highways England have said they have to do something about it because it's so dangerous. These things take their time. Funding is always the last major hurdle."

More than 900 people attended drop-in sessions about plans to improve the busy junctions in summer 2014.

Two sessions were held at halls in each of the villages.