There were long delays on the way out of Bournemouth again yesterday after the layout of the roadworks at Blackwater was altered.

The contraflow was removed on Saturday night and the northbound section of the road returned to a single lane along its length.

But for the first time, the road past the Blackwater junction has also been filtered to a single lane for 600m before the junction.

Traffic is being merged into the inside lane, which is causing long delays stretching along Castle Lane in both directions, and over the Cooper Dean flyover.

Drivers have reported 45 minute delays at peak times in the morning and evening.

The verge coned off is on Bournemouth Council's stretch of the road and so not an area the rebuild team are likely to be working on.

Travel Dorset say: "Sorry for the additional delays at the moment.

"Due to significant rainfall over the weekend the barrier in the centre reserve was not completed and we were unable to complete the southbound line markings.

"We’re hoping to make some changes after our work tonight (Tuesday), but this will depend on what we can get done and the layout that is deemed safe at the end of the shift."

The £22million Dorset County Council project to rebuild the A338, which started in September, is expected to be completed by this weekend.

Before then, however, temporary two-way lights will be installed on Hurn Road just before Hurn Road Bridge, which are expected to contribute to further delays in the area.

The lights will be up from 9.30am to 3.30pm today, tomorrow, Thursday and Friday while anti-dazzle fencing is installed.