Work is starting next week (26 March) on the first phase of improvements to Dorchester Road after residents backed the amended proposals.

Phase One includes constructing pedestrian islands, landscaping and traffic calming at Upwey/Elwell Street and Manor Roundabout.

Original plans were amended following an earlier consultation last year. Residents gave the new proposals their approval in February; some of their suggestions for minor changes have been incorporated.

Work will start at Upwey/Elwell Street on Monday (26 March) for four to five weeks and will then move to Manor Roundabout at the end of April for approximately five weeks, with completion by 7 June 2012.  Temporary traffic lights will be used during construction.

The remainder of the works between Manor Road and Elwell Street will start after September 2012. Meanwhile plans are still being amended to incorporate residents’ comments.

If you have any comments or questions please contact Dorset Highways:

Phone: 01305 224394

Email: weymouthreliefroad@dorsetcc.gov.uk

Work will be taking place on Saturday (24/3) and Sunday (25/3) to put in additional road markings at Veasta and Manor Roundabout.

The additional markings that will be put in place will provide further directional arrows and marking out the circulating carriageway around the roundabouts, shown on the plan above.

Work will start at around 5am on both Saturday and Sunday and will continue until around midday on both days.

During the works Stop and Go boards will be in operation to control traffic. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

If you have any comments or questions please contact Dorset Highways:

Phone: 01305 224394

Email: weymouthreliefroad@dorsetcc.gov.uk

We have provided a preferred option for the length of Dorchester Road, and alternate option for most of the areas along Dorchester Road.

We welcome your comments on the proposals. Please complete the comments sheet and return to Dorset Highways by Wednesday 29th February 2012.

If you have any comments or questions please contact Dorset Highways:

Phone: 01305 224394

Email: weymouthreliefroad@dorsetcc.gov.uk

The environmental improvement plans for Dorchester Road have been revised following consultation with local residents at the end of 2010.

On-street parking, pedestrian facilities, a cycleway and a review of current road markings have been looked at as part of the revised scheme. 

Further public exhibitions are being held to hear what residents think of the new proposals.

The project team will be available to answer questions and discuss the proposals at the following times:

Frank Reynolds Community Centre,  Dorchester Road

• Tuesday 31 January 2012                  10am to 4pm

Upwey and Broadwey Memorial Hall, Victoria Avenue

• Wednesday 1 February 2012             11.30am to 4.30pm
• Thursday 2 February 2012                 2pm to 6pm

Redlands Community Sports Hub, Dorchester Road

• Friday 3 February 2012                       Midday to 4pm
• Saturday 4 February 2012                  10am to 4pm

Plans of the proposals will be available to view online towards the end of January on the Weymouth Relief Road web page.

If you have any comments or questions please contact Dorset Highways:

Phone: 01305 224394

Email: weymouthreliefroad@dorsetcc.gov.uk

The final set of aerial images for the Weymouth Relief Road is now available on our Flickr account.

The image above is looking west along the completed Littlemoor Road.

Over the next few months we will be carrying out remedial works and completing fencing and landscaping across the scheme.

As this will mark completion of construction of the relief road, we will no longer be regularly updating this blog. 

We hope you have found it informative and interesting.   Thanks for all your comments and feedback.  

For transport and travel news and advice in Weymouth and Portland, keep an eye on the Dorset Newsroom.

All questions and enquiries about the relief road can still be directed to Dorset Highways:

Phone: 01305 224394

Email: weymouthreliefroad@dorsetcc.gov.uk

This week has seen the completion of work on Littlemoor Road.

Thank you for the patience during the works.

Over the next few months we will be carrying out remedial works and completing fencing and landscaping across the scheme.

This week work will be taking place to surface the old section of Littlemoor Road near St Andrew’s Primary School and finish the pedestrian crossing tables.

The work is being carried out during half term to minimise disruption to the school.

There will be short periods of time this week where traffic control is required on Littlemoor Road to complete road lining.

Work is now nearing completion on Littlemoor Road.

Work is underway to construct a landmark sculpture for Weymouth.

Artist Richard Harris has created the sculpture titled ‘Jurassic Stones’. The picture above shows an artist impression of the sculpture.

The sculpture will be created using boulders which were revealed in Southdown Ridge when work began in preparation for the new road.

The idea of incorporating art in the development of the relief road was proposed in the Weymouth and Portland Commissioning Plan for 2012. The project has received funding from Arts Council England.

Subject to weather, the sculpture is due to be finished in December.

Read the press release.

The lights will be in place for around five days, although we hope to complete the works sooner.

Where possible, the traffic lights will be removed at the end of each shift.

There will be a signed advisory diversion route along Mercery Road during the works.

Work is being carried out to realign the kerbs from the side road to improve the turning movement for vehicles exiting the cul-de-sac and to complete the pedestrian island.

With autumn now upon us the remaining batch of soft landscaping has begun in earnest.

The clearance and eradication of perennial weed growth is underway, preparing the ground for the final seeding and planting works.

The Bincombe junction area, Littlemoor Road and the Park & Ride are the main focus of works, consisting of amenity and agricultural grass seeding and native tree and shrub planting.

There remains approximately three kilometres of hedging to install along Littlemoor Road. This consists of around 18,000 plants, a mix of thorn, blackthorn, field maple, common dogwood and dog rose. These will be planted running adjacent to the footpaths and carriageway from the former site office to the end of the scheme at Chalbury Basin.

Weather depending, seeding will be completed by the end of October, and planting by the end of January – lets hope the snow holds off!