A LONG stretch of the sliproad from Blackwater Junction to the southbound carriageway of the A338 Spur Road has been coned off again – months after work to extend it finished.

As beleaguered motorists will doubtless recall, extensive works were carried out on the Spur Road for nine months between the autumn of 2018 and summer last year.

As part of the scheme, the sliproad was drastically lengthened to make the carriageway safer for motorists joining the dual carriageway.

Permanent average speed cameras were also installed in order to keep drivers safe.

However, much of the sliproad has now been coned off as part of the ongoing works to Bournemouth’s huge Wessex Fields development – and it will remain that way until sometime in the spring. As a result, the slip is now almost as short as it was before works began in 2018.

The cones were first put in place before Christmas. They were then removed over Christmas and the New Year, but have now been set out again, further towards the Blackwater turning.

Councillor Margaret Phipps, who lives in Hurn, said the residents she represents have faced traffic problems due to endless roadworks since 2017.

“I appreciate and understand that roadworks need to be done. However, on behalf of those living here, I’d say there have been roadworks affecting us one way or another since 2017 and we have had enough,” she said.

“We will all be very, very pleased when this latest set finally stop and they leave us alone.”

Council officials say the slip is still longer than it was before work began in 2018.

Gary Powell, head of engineering at BCP Council, said: “The traffic cones were put back out on the A338 southbound at the start of January after their removal for Christmas.

“The length of the cones has been extended further north towards Blackwater Junction to enable access to the next phase of works at Wessex Fields and to ensure the safety of the workers. This has resulted in a shorter on slip than before Christmas.

“However, the extended on slip from Blackwater Junction that was completed last year is still in place and there is no impact on the traffic on the A338 with two lanes remaining fully open.’’

The multi-million pound Wessex Fields scheme will see the construction of a new link road and junction in the area around the A338 at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

The road will link the dual carriageway to the site BCP Council bought for employment use near Cooper Dean

The council says its scheme will open up the site for a planned new business park and “release the valve” on traffic pressures, although hundreds of residents opposed the plans over fears that the new road link would exacerbate traffic problems rather than solve them.

However, the situation is further complicated by works at Blackwater that began weeks after the sliproad was extended. The works, which are not due to finish until March, will see a new sliproad built to take motorists from Hurn on to the A338, travelling towards Ringwood.