GIVE us a relief road, that's the message from Christchurch residents fed up with 'nightmare' traffic jams.

It is a view echoed by the acting leader of Christchurch council, Cllr David Flagg, who has said the authority will continue to push for a new bypass for the town.

Speaking to the Echo, Sue Bungey, chairman of the Affiliation of Christchurch Residents Associations said: "We desperately need a relief road for Christchurch.

"It has gone to county council with Christchurch Council putting forward the purple route which is the most expensive option.

"It is a huge concern in Christchurch that the traffic is just getting worse and worse.

"We have got lorries coming through the town. The proposed gravel pit near Christchurch will mean there will be 120 lorries coming through the town each day and then there is the Roeshot Hill housing development and we've got the new school opening in Fairmile.

"It's just going to be an absolute nightmare so the council should go back to the table and look at it again."

Dorset County Council, the authority in charge of roads and highways in Christchurch, have said they don't have the resources to fund a new Christchurch bypass.

For years Christchurch councillors have been lobbying the county council for a solution to the congestion and clogged up roads around the borough.

Efforts were stepped up last year when the borough council discussed a number of schemes, with just one put forward for possible further investigation.

Acting Christchurch leader, Cllr Flagg, said: "Christchurch Borough Council will continue to press for a relief road as the only sensible option to address the increasing traffic problems in Christchurch.

"The council remains disappointed that despite the relief road study, confirming that four key road junctions are currently at capacity, the county council are not prepared to consider inclusion of a relief road in the Local Transport Plan.

"The delivery of the purple relief road route would see the potential benefit of £168 million per annum to the local economy, which would help support the future growth of Christchurch.

"Although money may not be readily available now, the lack of any ambition to support a relief road option is letting the residents and businesses of Christchurch down badly."