WORK is progressing to create larger outdoor seating areas for pub and restaurant customers at Weymouth harbour - as contractors prepare to move into the second phase of the project.

Following a series of changes at Custom House Quay, which involves taking parking bays out of use temporarily to create more room, work will be moving to the south side of Weymouth harbour next week from April 6.

Phase two of the Dorset Council project will involve creating two sitting areas on Trinity Road.

READ MORE: Changes to harbour layout to help hospitality reopen

The council is to provide outdoor seating space in time for hospitality businesses reopening on April 12. Only those that are able to serve customers outside are allowed to reopen under PM Boris Johnson's lockdown roadmap.

A council spokesman said: "In line with Government guidelines to support the economy and provide sitting out licences wherever possible, two areas on Trinity Road are being marked out with barriers for additional outside seating."

Access and parking along Trinity Road will be unaffected by the seating areas, with the road slightly narrowed outside Nanna Moon’s, the Kings Arms and Bennett’s Fish and Chips to provide the additional space.

Signs will also be put in place on the highway to advise drivers of the temporary road layout.

Councillor Ray Bryan, portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “Following on from comments received about Trinity Road last summer, and in discussion with businesses on this side of the harbour, we’ve supported requests for sitting out space while maintaining commercial harbour users and residents access.

“These small areas of encroachment onto the road will cause minimal disruption while allowing businesses to reopen with seating for customers. The volume of traffic along this road is low and the shared-space environment already encourages drivers to travel at slow speeds.”

Outside seating for other businesses along Trinity Road are being provided as usual, including outside The Old Rooms, The T Room and for a new pizzeria which is due to open.

On the northern side of the harbour, work will finish this week to install a temporary layout in time for 12 April. The parking bays have been removed on Custom House Quay for sitting out areas to be provided outside premises and allow plenty of space for pedestrians either side of the road. Loading bays have been marked out for harbour vessels and other harbourside businesses.

Two disabled parking bays are available between Pilgrim Street and South Parade.