DRIVERS have been given a week's reprieve before a Dorchester car park is closed for a revamp.

The £160,000 improvements at Top o' Town car park will now begin on May 19 instead of next Monday as originally planned.

The work was scheduled to take six weeks but the contractor is now expected to do the work in five.

Steve Woollard, West Dorset District Council's technical services manager, said: "This delay in the start of work means that the car park will now be closed for only five weeks.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this work will cause.

"This work is part of a scheme to offer additional spaces to coaches on market days and also increase the number of short-term spaces available at the car park. We hope drivers will be patient during the work and use the alternative park and ride scheme and the long stay Fairfield car park."

The work is part of a package of improvements approved last year to increase short-term spaces and offer extra spaces for coaches visiting the town on market days.

Improvements also include resurfacing and relining the area as well as work on drainage and lighting.

Once the work is completed there will be an extra 20 spaces for coaches on Wednesday market days and an additional 30 short stay spaces.

The Top o' Town Café will be open as usual with parking for customers and access to Dorset County Council's office and car park will be maintained.

Drivers who usually park at the car park are being advised to use the park and ride scheme at Dorchester Football Club, Weymouth Avenue, or the Fairfield car park excluding Wednesday, while the work is carried out.