MOTORISTS face more traffic lights on the Dorchester to Weymouth road as further roadworks take place.

Drivers have been held up in heavy traffic at times in recent weeks as work on the Weymouth Relief Road continues.

Now a Dorset County Council project at the Winterborne junction on the A354 to improve crossing facilities is set to start today.

It will involve temporary traffic lights but the council insists that their use will not coincide with others.

Council project manager Emma Banwell said: “At the moment there is no crossing facility for local residents, workers or bus users and we’re pleased to have been able to incorporate these as part of the Monkton Park access improvements.

“There will be short periods of time where temporary traffic lights are needed, but this will be outside of peak traffic.

“We are liaising with our contractor Skanska, which is building the Weymouth Relief Road, to ensure that there are not multiple lights on this section of the A354.”

Two pedestrian islands are being installed as part of the council scheme to improve access into Monkton Park. Work will include a new entrance to the complex and to install a pedestrian island near the Winterborne Monkton turning and an island near the Winterborne Herringston turning.

The scheme will take 12 to 15 weeks to complete.

Linden Lea ward county councillor David Crowhurst said: “This is great news for local residents who, after many years of waiting, will have access to safe crossing of the A354.”

Some clearance work for the new entrance took place earlier this year.

The work comes after hold-ups recently, when traffic was brought to a standstill between Dorchester and Weymouth.

Signals at the Manor Roundabout and on the Ridgeway caused the delays.

The lights were put in place as part of the ongoing works for the Weymouth Relief Road.