MINUTES of a crucial meeting to discuss the A31 roadworks say work on the scheme will continue - despite a disappointing delay to the timetable.

Ahead of Ringwood Town Council's planning committee on Friday, the minutes from a meeting with Highways England earlier this month have been published.

It comes as the multi-million pound road improvements to the key route at Ringwood have been delayed by a year.

The plans to add a third lane at Ringwood have been pushed back, with its start date changing from March 2020 to March 2021.

The project was previously due to start in 2019.

The Daily Echo revealed the latest delay last week, but key council officials had been briefed earlier in the month.

Giving an overview of the recent consultation, the minutes say there were 448 respondents to the scheme, who were "overwhelmingly" in favour.

However, concerns were raised about the petrol station remaining open and the potential closure of West Street.

Emergency services including police and ambulance had also dropped their call for emergency access from West Street to the A31.

But a bus company had objected to the scheme and "this remained a key challenge for Highways England to overcome", the minutes said.

An announcement on the preferred route is now not likely to take place until early November.

"However, it was important to note that there was no impact on Highways England commitment to promote the Ringwood scheme and work on the scheme would continue as planned", stated the minutes.

Information on the preferred route would be given to Ringwood Town Council before the official announcement.

And it was also revealed that when work does start on the road, the westbound bridges would also be replaced.

Town centre improvements are also planned, with suggestions for a project group to be set-up.

The matter will be discussed at the meeting on Friday at 10am.