Drivers are being stopped for a census traffic in Branksome this morning.

Dorset County Council workers have interviewing drivers at random on Poole Road since 7am. 

Joe Allen, senior transport technician for Dorset County Council, said: "As part of the updates for the South East Dorset traffic model we need to make sure we are monitoring and checking the traffic trends.

"People have responded very well. We have had one of two refusals to take part. A couple of people said it is usually queued back up to the roundabout anyway so we're not making much difference to the traffic. We're quite happy we're not holding things up."

The survey work, which takes around 30 seconds per car depending on the driver, will be ongoing until 7pm.

"We have had no real negative feedback at all," Mr Allen said. "We are just trying to get a sample to make sure it is representative of the road. And obviously if people do refuse then that's absolutely fine."

Motorists were asked the reason for and the frequency of their journey, at that point in the road, while surveyors counted the number of people per vehicle and what type of vehicle they were travelling in.

Buses are not included as part of the survey and surveyors try to keep from holding them up.

Royal Mail vans are also not included as part of the survey.

One motorist, named Seth, said he travels all the way from Chichester once a week for his work in IT.

"I guess it's good to take the statistics but can they do it better? I don't know," he said.

However some motorists were less than happy about the survey.

Julia Rossner, 71, a part-time carer, said the traffic had been "absolutely awful".

"I come from Boscombe and leave at 8am to miss the traffic," she said.

College lecturer Ryan Scates said: "It's really slowed down traffic. I have got to get to work at 9am otherwise the children will be late for their lesson."