A dangerous junction is set to be closed to cars in a bid to make it safer.

Blackman Street will be closed at its junction with Trafalgar Street and a tree will be planted to prevent cars from using it.

The changes are being made after six crashes in which people were injured occurred in the last three years with more believed to not have been reported.

Brighton and Hove City Councillor Trevor Muten said: “These improvements will improve safety in a busy shopping area of Brighton & Hove.

“We know the junction with Blackman Street has been an issue we needed to address and closing the road at one end will mean a safer space for all road users.

“The improvements around Sydney Street and Whitecross Street will make it a much nicer place for people to shop and enhance the vibrancy of this part of the city.

“This is a part of the city where people shop, eat, drink and socialise so it’s important we make it as safe as possible. These changes will undoubtedly do that.”

Vehicles will still be able to use Blackman Street in both directions between its junction with Cheapside and will still be able to access the Trafalgar Street Car Park.

Alongside the plans, more changes will be made to surrounding roads including Trafalgar Street and Sydney Street.

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Changes will include narrowing the junction of Whitecross Street as well as extending one-way restrictions on Trafalgar Street to the junction with Whitecross Street.

Two-way access for cyclists will be maintained. The planned works will take around five weeks to complete and are due to begin on Monday.

The council previously told The Argus that some of the council budget had been allocated for road safety improvements at sites deemed to be “high risk” such as Blackman Street.

Poor visibility had been blamed as the most common cause for vehicles hitting pedestrians and cyclists at the junction.