ROADWORKS which have closed a stretch of a busy Bournemouth route are celebrating their first birthday despite initial claims it would only be shut for a few weeks.

Wessex Water is still carrying out monitoring work at Percy Road, several months after emergency repairs to the inside of the Bournemouth coastal interceptor sewer were completed.

But it has now revealed it has been cleared for opening before the end of the year.

The road was sealed off to traffic after parts of the tarmac subsided in September 2016.

Engineers have previously carried out repairs to the road following ground subsidence and damage to the surface. Since those repairs, Wessex Water has been monitoring ground surfaces and sewers to confirm repairs have been successful.

Drivers have been officially diverted via Michelgrove Road, Boscombe Cliff Road and Byron Road but many have also been using Glen Road, leading to traffic problems.

Project manager Joe Edmunds said: “This has been a highly unusual and complex scheme and we needed to be absolutely certain the road was safe before carrying out reinstatement.

“Residents have been incredibly patient while work has been in progress and we thank them once again for that. We apologise for any inconvenience to them and road users in the area.

“There may be a requirement for a short road closure in spring next year to replace some utilities that cannot be reconnected at the moment.”

Wessex Water said local residents have been kept informed in person and anyone who wants any more information about the scheme is urged to go to wessexwater.co.uk/percyrd