LANE closures will be in place at Blackwater for the next two weeks.

The work on the A338 Spur Road is part of the ongoing BIG Programme, run by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) alongside Bournemouth and Dorset councils, in a bid to increase capacity and reduce congestion on the roads around Bournemouth Airport.

Stephen Mepham, highways project engineer at the county council, said the work had been timed to cause "minimal disruption".

“Works at Blackwater Junction East are progressing on schedule and due to be completed by the end of May," he said.

"Over the next two weeks, the current traffic management arrangements will remain in place to enable a lane closure, and the existing lights will be replaced by temporary lights.

"There will be minimal disruption during the peak hours.

"From the week beginning May 8, there will be an overnight lane closure, with a diversion in place, to undertake the resurfacing of the on/off slip with the A338 Southbound carriageway.

"This closure will be publicised nearer the time."

Connected overnight resurfacing work on the A338 at Blackwater East was completed on Friday.

But planned resurfacing work at the Chapel Gate roundabout was postponed.

The county council said the work, scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday, had been put off "due to material supply issues".

New dates have yet to be confirmed.

As previously reported, new plans to reshape Hurn roundabout – less ambitious than previous intentions due to the failure to acquire certain land – has been scheduled to begin on May 21 and last for 17 weeks.

The abandoned larger scheme had proved somewhat controversial among locals, and the new design involves reshaping the junction within its existing borders.

The airport's Aviation Business Park will be greatly expanded, if the BIG Programme is successful, meaning infrastructure improvements are needed both to attract businesses and cope with an increase in commuters.