POLICE officers will be out enforcing the 40mph speed limit on the A338 this week.

The temporary restriction was put in place in September to protect workers widening the Spur Road at Blackwater junction – work which is scheduled to last for eight more months and which has caused widespread disruption.

At rush hour queues on the road have led to lengthy delays.

Travel Dorset, the traffic service operated by Dorset County Council, which is carrying out the roadworks, yesterday tweeted: "Dorset Police's 'No Excuse' team is out on the #A338 this week, speed checking motorists.

"There is a 40mph zone through the roadworks to protect the people working on it.

"Please stick to the speed limit."

Dorset Police said the vans would only be in place "during off-peak hours".

"We are working alongside Bournemouth council and Dorset County Council to enforce the 40mph speed limit on the roadworks section of the A338 Spur Road," a spokesman said.

"The safety of the workforce is of paramount importance and we have had recent incidents whereby motorists are ignoring the speed limits and endangering the lives of both the workforce and themselves.

"Our safety camera vans will be in operation during off-peak hours only and not during rush-hour traffic.

"We would urge motorists to drive carefully and considerately and we would thank them for their co-operation."

The last time a temporary speed limit was imposed on the A338 hundreds of motorists were caught flouting the rules.

That was during the extensive resurfacing work between 2015/16, which also led to extensive disruption.

Average speed cameras, which are not in place this time, caught 949 people speeding between October 15, 2015, and January 4, 2016 – more than 200 during the four week Christmas break during which all lanes were reopened but the limit remained in place and the cameras in operation.

Last week saw a "major milestone" in the work programme completed, according to the county council.

The authority said 17 pre-cast concrete units were installed linking the two bridges which carry the road over the River Stour.

Contractors have also cut the grass on the verges, cutting down on future work, prepared the road for widening north of the river and begun preparation work south of the river.

The current phase of night work finished a day early.