DRIVERS have been warned to expect delays when a nine-month project at Poole's Hunger Hill junction starts today.

It comes as work continues on the A338 Spur Road in Bournemouth, with a lane closed southbound and narrowed lanes northbound.

The £11.7m scheme will see the layout of the junction completely redesigned and traffic flow on West Quay Road and West Street changed.

New crossings will also be installed for pedestrians and cyclists.

The project is supposed to support future development in Townside where 5,000 new homes will be built.

During peak hours - 7.30am-9am and 4.30pm-6pm - there will be single lane reductions only, with more of the road restricted outside those times.

There will be no complete road closures during the works, and some night work will be carried out.

Initially work will start by Asda and West Quay Road with the removal of the central reserve and traffic islands.

From December 10-24, the work will be carried out under peak hour conditions only, and there will be no work carried out from December 24 until January 7.

Hunger Hill will switch over to its new layout after the Christmas period, although a date for this has not yet been set.