Percy Road STILL closed 14 months on (and it will stay that way until February)

Diversions were put in place around Percy Road in Boscombe in September last year "for a few weeks" to allow for emergency sewer repairs.

But work is still being carried out and the road remains closed 14 months later.

Work to repair the inside of the Bournemouth coastal interceptor sewer was completed months ago but signs displayed at the site say the road closure is now in place until February 9 2018.

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

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.

Residents said the works have caused "absolute chaos" and some can only enter their homes from the rear.

Staff at a care home said they have experienced problems with access for emergency vehicles and said staff have difficulty getting to work.

A spokesman for Wessex Water said the company had hoped to re-open the road in December with a second closure planned in March 2018 to complete repairs to some utilities.

He said the second closure will not now be required as repairs can be completed sooner than expected. The current closure will now be extended until mid-February after which Percy Road will be permanently reopened.

Project manager Joe Edmunds said: “Repairs to the Bournemouth coastal interceptor sewer were completed ahead of schedule in March 2017, but it was necessary to continue monitoring the ground to ensure it was safe to begin reinstatement work.

"We’re extremely grateful for the continued patience of residents and road users during this complex scheme and apologise again for the inconvenience caused."