A338 Spur Road brought to standstill in both directions

8:00am Tuesday 24th November 2009

By Paula Roberts

Even worse - that is the overwhelming response from motorists in Bournemouth after changes to the controversial A338 Spur Road works caused more chaos across the conurbation on Monday.

One angry driver said it took him one hour and 40 minutes to get from Boscombe to Wimborne and another spent 50 minutes travelling from Queens Park to Westbourne – a journey that should only take 15 minutes.

Yesterday morning marked the start of the surveying and environmental works moving from the southbound carriageway of the Spur Road to the northbound.

Dorset County Council chiefs decided to switch the works following concerns from businesses in Christchurch, Poole and Bournemouth that their timing couldn’t have come at a worse time of the year.

But not only did the works cause heavy tail backs as expected on the northbound carriageway, they also left traffic at a standstill on the southbound lanes from the Cooper Dean roundabout to St Pauls roundabout as motorists travelling northbound tried to leave the Wessex Way early.

Yesterday project leader David Diaz said: “We do appreciate the tailbacks that resulted this morning were worse than before.

“It is not acceptable we had problems on both carriageways and previously it was only on one. If it does continue over the next couple of days we will have to seriously look again.”

Many motorists were left fuming. One wrote: “So the road works start at Blackwater Junction with just a small section of road being worked on, yet the bollards start at Cooper Dean. And they wonder why the whole area is gridlocked this morning. Put the bollards out after rush hour. Surely that makes more sense than Bournemouth coming to a complete standstill, thousands of lost hours at work, CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere from stationary cars. These works are a complete joke.”

And another motorist said: “The management of the whole project is completely appalling.

“At least last week there was one moving carriageway – now they have two at a virtual standstill.

“The delays on the southbound side are just as bad as last week (15-20 minutes) despite the roadworks having moved side – it’s just they are now at the Bournemouth end rather than the Ringwood end.”

Nigel Hedges, president of Bournemouth’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: “The chamber of trade regrets any problems encountered by people trying to get into work or to do shopping.”

He suggested people should change their travel patterns to avoid getting caught up in the delays.

“It is obvious that people are going to have to change their travel plans. Why not come in early and have breakfast in the town or look for alternative routes?”

Reports this morning suggest traffic had avoided the A338 into town, leaving the Wessex Way clearer than yesterday.

But some drivers were caught up in long jams in Boscombe and Southbourne as motorists tried to take the normally quieter back roads.