CUTS are already having an effect on Dorset’s transport systems. Since the change of government in May, two major road schemes have been delayed.

The £26 million rebuild of the A338 Bournemouth spur road, right, will now not go ahead until next year at the earliest after the project missed out on funding again – despite preparatory work having already been carried out.

Dorset highways boss Andy Ackerman said the project remained a top priority and it was encouraging that it was still being considered by the Department for Transport, but there was “no guarantee” that it would go ahead.

Another blow to Dorset motorists comes on the A31, where a bottleneck at Ringwood was due to receive attention under a £9.5 million scheme that has now been put on hold.

It’s not all bad news – it had been thought that work on another A31 bottleneck at Canford Bottom would lose out in the spending review, but the Highways Agency is pressing ahead and expects the cash to come through next year.

And whether you think it’s good or bad, the number of fixed speed cameras in the county is also set to be halved.

After two harsh winters, the battle against potholes continues as well – something each authority could have done without in the face of the biggest budget cuts in memory.

Julian McLaughlin, head of transportation services at Poole council, said: “The reduced expenditure on carriageway and footway repairs is beginning to show and the last two winters have compounded the problems.

“The number of potholes in the year 2009/10 was four times the normal expected and the residue of the last winter has seen an unprecedented increase in pothole repair orders issued since April 2010.

“The government’s £137,000 one-off grant to the council as provided earlier this year is already spent. Work is still ongoing and this year’s budget allocation has another winter approaching. This area of work may still prove to be a pressure this year (and in future years) as the government’s current budget allocation is insufficient.”

We asked drivers at Castlepoint what their top priorities were in the face of budget cuts.