POOLE Bridge will be closed to road traffic on Wednesday as a result of the public sector strike.

The lifting bridge will be left with its leaves raised from midnight on Tuesday to one minute before midnight on Wednesday.

Hamworthy residents will be faced with a seven-mile drive around Holes Bay to get to the town centre.

However Wilts & Dorset, whose drivers are not involved in the industrial action, will operate an emergency timetable, diverting services around the bay.

While few boats are expected to need to pass along the Back Water Channel between Holes Bay and the harbour during the 24-hours, the bridge would normally take around 19,000 vehicles.

“We appreciate this will inconvenience road users of Poole Bridge but maritime traffic has the right of navigation through the Back Water Channel,” said a spokesman for Borough of Poole.

“While the council has powers to temporarily close the Back Water Channel to carry out maintenance and construction works, unfortunately these powers do not extend to industrial action.”

The spokesman said: “We are doing everything possible to keep disruption to services for local residents to an absolute minimum.”

No Poole Harbour Commissioners’ employees will be taking industrial action and the port is expected to operate normally.

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The call by trades unions and professional bodies for industrial action over pension changes is expected to be heeded by around 10,000 workers in Dorset.

Rubbish bins will not be collected, many schools will close and hospitals and health services will be affected across the county on the day.

Details are emerging of Dorset County Council services which will be affected. Some disruption to waste collection services in Christchurch and north and east Dorset is expected.

Adult social care services, including day centres, are expected to operate a reduced service.