The A31 has reopened westbound between the B3072 and Canford Bottom roundabout after an accident closed the road on Monday night and left it needing emergency repairs.

Drivers were stuck in queues of up to two hours this morning as emergency resurfacing took place.

A lorry's fuel tank ruptured at 8pm last night, spilling fuel along the road. Dorset Police closed the road in both directions between Ringwood Road and Canford Bottom while the lorry was removed.

Highways engineers put down crystals to soak up the diesel but were too late to prevent damage to the road surface, which needed replacing.

The eastbound carriageway was opened at 9.30pm and the westbound opened between Ringwood Road and Cobham Road this morning. 

Resurfacing work and repairs around a collapsed manhole at Canford Bottom are complete.

The road reopened around 12.30pm and was expected to reopen at 11.30am but works were delayed because the recovery truck got stuck in traffic.

Traffic was diverted via the Ferndown Industrial Estate. Traffic was then diverted onto the B3073 and via the A348 and A341 to re-join the A31 at Merley. 

 

@bournemouthecho A31 by the Ferndown police station roundabout it's closed! 2 hrs Ringwood to wimbourne & counting. twitter.com/RT_MEDIA/statu…

— Ross Thornley (@RT_MEDIA) November 27, 2012