“Awful” was the verdict of “very disgruntled driver” Helen Garrett stuck in traffic for an hour as she attempted to get from home at Creekmoor to take her daughter to school at Lytchett Minster and to work in Poole.

“Huntick Road was more like the M25 as cars from all directions used it as a cut through,” said Davina Chapman, who lives in Lytchett Matravers.

“These are country lanes with no pavements and are not suitable for this traffic.

Councillor calls for work to be stopped until after Christmas

“I am concerned that there will be a serious accident if cars are continuously pushed through the village.”

Alison Dawes – who lives in Upton, has children at school in Lytchett Matravers and works in Hamworthy – has the worst of all worlds.

“It’s taken me an hour to get from Lytchett Matravers to work in Hamworthy,” she said.

However Richard Hasluck, 50, landlord of the Bakers Arms, whose journey from Verwood took 50 minutes instead of 30 said: “These things have to be done. I am sure they are trying to do the best they can.”

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DorsetSpeed which campaigns about road safety, gave the road works, “the most ridiculous set of road closures of the year award.”

A spokesman for Borough of Poole defended the “essential” nature of Wessex Water’s and the county councils repairs.

“Due to the urgency of both sets of works, in this case Blandford Road and the Upton bypass, the clash of these two schemes is unfortunate but unavoidable,” said the spokesman.