A NEW roundabout design to improve safety at Gulworthy Cross has been given the go-ahead ? just days after a motorcyclist was killed at the poor visibility crossroads.

Devon County Councillor Gretta Madigan said the death of the motorcyclist, had reinforced the need to act to improve road safety at the junction.

?Sadly there was a fatality there earlier this week. It is my firm wish that there is never a fatality there again,? she told councillors at a meeting of the highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) last Thursday.

The meeting in Okehampton agreed a recommendation to introduce a new £235,000 roundabout at Gulworthy Cross when funds become available.

Motorcyclist Matthew Prete, 22, from Woolwell in Plymouth, was killed in a collision at Gulworthy Cross on July 5. There were eleven recorded collisions in the same vicinity from January 2000 to the end of 2002.

Brian George, local service officer for Devon County Council, said it was anticipated the package of road safety measures would reduce casualties at the junction by 50%.

He said the scheme would provide safer access to the local primary school, improve the safety of the highway networks and improve management of HGV routes through Tavistock. Mr George said access to tourism would also be improved.

Cllr Roy Connelly commended the officers for spending a lot of time taking into account the views of local residents and the parish councils before coming up with the scheme.

He said the new roundabout would be of ?tremendous benefit in an area that gives enormous concern not just to local residents but the people who pass through there.?

Alternative options considered included a large roundabout, which would have reduced injury accidents further, but this was thought too expensive to be viable.

As part of the package of measures to improve road safety, Mr George also recommended that a traffic order be advertised proposing the minor road south of the school be closed at its junction with the A390.

In addition, heavy goods vehicles over seven-and-a-half-tonnes will be prohibited from using the B3362 at Spring Hill, in Tavistock.

The new signed route for HGVs will be from the crossroads at Carr?s Garage in Lamerton, along the B3257 to the the new roundabout and along the A390 to Tavistock.

Cllr Roger Mathew said he agreed something needed to be done about the crossroads but he did not feel it was necessary to close the minor road. ?It is a very useful local short-cut and I would be appalled to see it pinched out. I think it is premature. I think we could look at it again if an accident issue remains,? he said.

Local farmer Peter Baker told members he used the short-cut several times a day travelling between his farms in the area, and did not wish to see it closed.

Officers said at this stage, as they were only recommending that a traffic order be FORMER Plymouth Argyle chief executive David Tall was meeting young members of the Green Army last week when he took the Nationwide Division 2 trophy to St Peter?s School in Tavistock.

Pupil supporter Matt McClung had written to Plymouth Argyle to ask whether they would make a visit to the school to mark the club?s ascent into the Coca-Cola Championship League ? and bring the cup with them.

He and other pupils were rewarded with a close-up look at the trophy as well as a talk from David Tall about Argyle?s history and future plans.

David is to take up the role of strategic and development officer at the start of August.