A BOURNEMOUTH MP says council roadworks taking place on the A338 "place a noose" around local businesses.

Conor Burns, Conservative MP for Bournemouth West, last week expressed anger at what he called a “sarcastic” tweet from Bournemouth council about workers being entitled to tea breaks.

Now the MP has written to Dorset County Council, which is actually carrying out the work, urging a rethink on the nine months of disruption which may result from the construction of new lanes at Blackwater Junction.

In the missive to Councillor Rebecca Knox, leader of the county council, Mr Burns says: “Since the start of the works on the Spur Road into Bournemouth I have been overwhelmed by the number of my constituents and others who have contacted me expressing genuine frustration, concern and anger at the impact the organisation of the works are having on their lives, jobs and businesses.”

Mr Burns calls on Cllr Knox to “instruct officers and all those involved in the planning and delivery of these works” to review the work programme so as to “reduce the appalling delays and congestion”.

He urges the council to consider introducing a contraflow in the opposite lane during peak morning times and in the late afternoon, “options suggested by senior members of our local business community”. Tony Brown, chief executive of Beales, called for a contraflow system in the Echo last week. Mr Burns also called for night time working to be reconsidered.

“If these works were to continue as planned, and the experience of the last week were to play out over the full nine months the work is scheduled to take to complete, it will have the effect of placing a noose around the businesses that operate in Bournemouth town centre,” said Mr Burns.

“I know the users of the road are being directed to a ‘frequently asked questions’ page. Speaking frankly what they want instead are urgently delivered solutions.”

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood posted on Twitter on Friday about his concerns.

He said: “Just gone 4pm and not a worker in sight... Puzzled why miles of road already upgraded needs to be coned off? #welcometoBournemouthpleasedriveslowly”

Meanwhile, a petition on change.org launched by frustrated motorist Gareth Morris, who travels from Bournemouth to Fareham for work, saw more than a thousand signatures in 24 hours. Yesterday afternoon it had reached 1,800.

He said an hour-and-a-half had been added to his commute. “Coming down on the Spur Road is just ridiculous at the moment,” he said.

“This is not just about commuting. This is also about interfering on the activities of emergency services. If they can’t get through the traffic, what is the knock on effect?

“I don’t want to rant at Bournemouth council. By and large they do a good job, but this decision needs to be reviewed. We are right back to where we were two years ago with the last set of work on the A338."

“We’re losing hundreds of hours from people at work and we must be able to find a better way to deal with this situation.”

The petition can be viewed at change.org/p/conor-burns-mp-parliament-uk-fix-the-broken-a338-roadworks-plan-in-bournemouth