WORK to complete the reinforcement of footbridge supports at Somerford roundabout on the A35 at Christchurch has begun again after a break for the peak holiday period.

A risk assessment carried out by Dorset County Council engineers earlier this year found that while the bridges were safe to use, there was a danger of serious structural damage if the steel supports were struck by a vehicle.

First steps to strengthen and protect the stanchions started in the spring with partial lane closures on the approaches to the bridges but work was suspended in the summer to avoid holiday traffic congestion at the busy roundabout.

Now the final phase, expected to take approximately six weeks to complete, is under way and will involve the closure of the left-hand traffic lane adjacent to the Sainsbury supermarket.

Another bridge scheme is also planned for the Roeshot Hill railway bridge, where the A35 Lyndhurst Road crosses into Hampshire.

The scheme, to provide a safety fence on the approach to the bridge, is scheduled to start on October 8 and will overlap with the Somerford footbridge works.

Dorset County Council principal engineer John Burridge said: "The erection of the safety fence is part of a national programme to reduce the risk of vehicles leaving the road and coming to rest on the railway.

"The site at Roeshot railway bridge has been judged to have a particularly high risk due to the highly skewed angle at which the road crosses the railway, the amount of traffic using the road and the railway being at the bottom of a deep cutting.

"During the work at the railway bridge, a temporary 40mph speed limit will be imposed and traffic controls, using temporary traffic lights, will operate from 9.30am-3.30pm.

"A similar traffic management arrangement has been used recently at the site during preliminary work to divert cables. We did not receive reports of any extensive disruption and hope this will remain the case during the installation of the safety fence."