TUCKTON Bridge mysteriously reopened on Saturday in the middle of two weeks of planned roadworks.

Bournemouth motorists and residents said the bridge was open to traffic from around 4pm on Saturday, and this remained the case through Sunday morning and afternoon.

Bournemouth council issued no notice that the bridge would be open, and indeed on Sunday morning the borough tweeted a "reminder" that "Tuckton Bridge is closed until April 15 for safety improvement works".

Local business owners said the unexpected opening had not made much difference to a quiet weekend.

Steve Leech of Raw Nature said: "I heard that the bridge would be open at the start of the weekend but then it was closed until around 4pm yesterday.

"It has been a ghost town around here during the work, ridiculously quiet, and the bridge opened too late yesterday.

"People didn't know it was open and were still driving around, and we close at 5pm anyway.

"I don't know whether it will be closed again tomorrow or not."

Motorists are facing another week of horrendous congestion sparked by the Tuckton roadworks.

The council has dismissed suggestions that contractor Dyer and Butler was pushing ahead over the weekend to get the work completed as early as tomorrow.

Gary Powell, head of traffic management, said the project was on schedule to be completed by Sunday, April 15.

Drivers have been stuck in traffic jams in all directions due to the bridge closure. As reported last week, hospital staff, patients and visitors had to wait more than an hour to get out of the car park and into Castle Lane East.

There were tailbacks from the Iford roundabout, and further delays in the Christchurch area, including in Barrack Road.

Traffic was also congested on the Avon Causeway and in Parley Lane. The situation was exacerbated by faulty traffic light detection equipment at Blackwater East, causing 90 minute delays on Wednesday.

Robert Seedling, who works in Christchurch and lives in Fordingbridge, said traffic near Bournemouth Airport was “insanity”.

“I’ve never seen it that bad before. It was backed up from Blackwater to Hurn Roundabout and the Avon Causeway, and towards Parley.

“The roads around Iford were the worst,” he added. “Roadworks have to be done, but if one little bridge closure causes this much madness then what’s it going to be like in the future with the quantity of cars on the roads?”

Christopher Ratcliffe has raised issues caused by the roadworks with his local councillor, Eddie Coope, who represents Tuckton.

He said the works had caused “huge disruption in the area” with traffic queuing “into Christchurch, the bypass and beyond”.

“I cannot comprehend how councillors or officers could have possibly allowed this to go ahead in this manner with such total disregard for the local community and the travelling public at large,” he said.

Bournemouth council said last week it was looking at “alternative options” to ease congestion around Iford roundabout, such as adjusting the operation of traffic lights.

Cones were put in place and a sign put up at Deansleigh roundabout, next to the hospital, urging people not to block the road.

The closure of the bridge is part of a project to revamp Tuckton roundabout and introduce new crossings at each junction, cycle lanes and a loading bay outside Tesco in Tuckton Road.