HIGHWAYS chiefs have insisted the traffic snarl-ups being caused on a busy roundabout are happening because the work is not finished.

The congestion at the Iford roundabout has seen traffic grinding to a halt at the junction, with long queues of vehicles coming from Christchurch.

Some residents and drivers have blamed the decision to put a bus stop on the roundabout, along with a bus lane and cycle lane.

But Gary Powell, head of traffic, engineering and major projects at Bournemouth council, said the queues were happening because work was still going on.

He said: “As the population grows, there will be more people, more jobs and more commuters on the road network.

“This means we must make changes now and provide a transport network which gives people easier, safer and more attractive travel options whilst reducing congestion on our road network.

“We are committed to keeping Bournemouth an attractive place to live, work and visit, and getting from A to B with minimal delay is imperative. By making improvements like those at Iford roundabout, in the long-term we will have good infrastructure in place that will enable people to travel more easily without the need for cars, which means less congestion, better air quality and less carbon emissions impacting on the environment.

“The improvements at Iford roundabout are not complete and the congestion motorists are currently experiencing is part of the ongoing works. We are due to commission the toucan crossing shortly and a zebra crossing is also planned which may change flow patterns by creating gaps in the traffic.

“As with all road improvement schemes, officers will monitor the situation and look to make any minor changes to improve the traffic congestion.”