WORKS which are part of a multi-million pound transport overhaul of a north Dorset town will be starting soon.

Key junctions are set to be 'upgraded' throughout Gillingham, says Dorset Council, as part of a scheme to support the town's expansion.

Council officials have now confirmed work will be starting in Station Road this month and the demolition of the Old Manse property, at the junction of Shaftesbury Road and New Road, will get underway in September.

The demolition of the building will take around four weeks and will be followed by the junction improvement work, which is scheduled to start in early October.

Temporary traffic signals will be in place during the demolition and junction improvement work.

Cllr Ray Bryan, portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: “From the end of August and through the Autumn, as these next phases of work begin to take shape, residents will start to see how the overall package of improvements will reshape transport around the town.

“The greener travel choice of cycling will become a real option for those who maybe hadn’t considered it before along this busy route.

“We appreciate that there is a lot of highway work taking place in a concentrated area of the town, thank you for your patience so far.”

Pedestrian and cycle safety works started earlier this month at the Newbury (High Street) junction with Shaftesbury Road, which includes installing a toucan crossing on Le Neubourg Way.

As part of the work, Newbury will be closed between the mini-roundabout and the doctors surgery from 9am to 3pm on Monday 17, Tuesday 18 and Wednesday, August 19 to remove the existing kerbs and ramp. Vehicles will be directed onto Station Road to access the town.

Sustainable transport works along Le Neubourg Way are now finished and the road will be resurfaced during night work from August 19 to September 2, with the road closed each weeknight from 7pm to 6am .

Access to Waitrose and the petrol station will be maintained during this work.

New traffic signals at the Waitrose Junction will go live in mid-September.

Four weeks work will also get underway on Station Road from September 1, with the pavements being widened. There will also be some minor works on Station Road to improve pedestrian access to and from the train station.

Work will start at the top of Station Road and move south towards the train station. Different traffic management measures will be needed as the work progresses, including a two-week road closure from the High Street to Paris Court and some parking restrictions.

The permanent one-way southbound restriction on Station Road (higher), from the High Street to Buckingham Road, will come into place on Friday, September 11.

The works are part of a multi-million-pound transport overhaul, with funding secured by the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s Growth Deal, to provide a transport improvement package for the town to support its expansion.

The funding is being used to enhance key junctions through Gillingham, improve cycle links to the train station and will fund the design of the Enmore Green Link Road.