THE Weymouth relief road was today granted final approval by the Government.

South Dorset MP Jim Knight said new Roads Minister Charlotte Atkins had given the green light for Dorset County Council's funding plans for the £54.6 million road.

Now he has urged her to send the final written documents to the county council so it can crack on with its design plans and planning application.

Mr Knight said: "Getting a result was vital as I know residents wanted to see this project up and running as soon as possible."

The government gave provisional backing for funding of the long-awaited relief road in December 2003 but the county council then had to consider different ways of funding the scheme - either through conventional funding or a private finance initiative (PFI) - before final approval was granted.

Now the Government has backed the council's business case based on conventional funding following concerns from councillors that a delay in a decision was 'intolerable'.

Members of the cabinet hit out earlier this month after hearing that conventional funding through Government grants would prove better value than a PFI but that the Department for Transport officials had yet to make a recommendation.

Mr Knight applied pressure to Mrs Atkins to back the council's preferred option of conventional funding before a meeting of government officials and council officers.

Mike White, council head of highways, said: "The fact that Mr Knight raised this at the highest level was mentioned at the meeting.

"I am convinced that our success was in no small part due to his intervention, for which he has my thanks."

The Government backing is the final approval for the council and leaves the way clear for a planning application to be lodged for the Orange Route next summer.

Then, there would likely to be a public inquiry into compulsory purchase orders before work begins in 2007 and the road finished in 2010, if all goes smoothly.

Mr Knight said: "I have today written to the new Roads Minister Charlotte Atkins to press the Department for Transport to confirm their approval in writing without delay.

"This will allow officers and the Tory administration at County Hall to finally get on with moving this project."

The development comes as road protesters continue to dig tunnels and build tree houses on land near Two Mile Coppice to stop construction of the relief route.