Three fatalities have occurred at or near the site since 2008, in addition to the more than 30 crashes during the same period.

Work valued at $5 million was undertaken on that section of road earlier this year but it did little to alleviate the problem.

Following a fatality in February, further work began including extra lining marking and the reduction of the speed limit down to 80km/hr on the New England Highway’s northbound lanes as they approach the intersection.

Another problem with the intersection is the long delays for traffic turning right onto the New England Highway from the Golden Highway during peak periods.

The opening of the Hunter Expressway in March this year means the couple of kilometres, from the end of the dual carriageway at Belford to the intersection, is the only section of the road from Newcastle and even Sydney that is not a four-lane divided highway.

Upper Hunter MP George Souris said options were being considered to improve traffic flow and safety for more than 22,000 motorists travelling daily on the highway between Belford and the Golden Highway.

He said the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) was upgrading the New England Highway to provide two lanes in each direction between Belford and the Golden Highway and to improve this major intersection.

“Options under investigation include an overbridge from the Golden Highway to the New England Highway to carry east bound traffic toward Branxton,” he said.

“This section of the New England Highway is the final section between Newcastle and the Golden Highway intersection to be upgraded to four lanes.”

Singleton Council is also pursuing funding from the Hunter Infrastructure Fund to upgrade the intersection and the build a dual carriageway from the end of the divided road at Belford to the intersection.