WORKS on a Bournemouth roundabout have been causing traffic headaches for commuters - and two evening road closures are still to come.

The Iford Roundabout, which joins traffic from Christchurch Road, Castle Lane East and Iford Lane, has seen ongoing works to add a segregated bus bay and cycle lane for a number of weeks on the section of the roundabout leading onto Christchurch Road.

The roundabout is a common congestion point in both the morning and evening rush hours and at times the works have caused traffic to come to a prolonged stand still.

Bournemouth Borough Council are carrying out the improvements in the area, with a toucan crossing due to be commissioned next month along Christchurch Road just off the roundabout.

Richard Pearson, highway design and road safety manager at Bournemouth Borough Council said: "By the end of July we will have mainly completed some minor improvements at Iford Roundabout to improve public transport, cycling and pedestrian facilities.

"Neither the work or the final layout reduces the number of lanes or capacity at the roundabout although it is possible that the mere presence of cones and contractor activity has caused vehicles to slow down during the works and we apologise for any delays incurred."

Christchurch Road is set to be closed on two evenings next week - between 7.30pm and 10.30pm on Monday July 17 and between 7pm on Tuesday July 18 and 2am on Wednesday July 19 - with a diversion in place.

On completion of the works a new bus bay before Christchurch Road will be in place, which would merge into traffic on the road just before the new toucan crossing.

“The new safer signalised crossing for pedestrians and cyclists will be fully commissioned in August and is near to the roundabout as this is the desire line for users of the new facility," Mr Pearson added.

“Bournemouth Council's (and Dorset's) current transport strategy recognises that with a steeply increasing population more people will need to switch to sustainable modes as this will ease congestion and bring a range of wider health and environmental benefits and these improvements support that agenda whilst not removing any capacity (lanes) from the existing network.”