PLANS for major improvements to roundabouts on the Dorchester bypass have gone on display in the county town.

Motorists have been warned to allow extra time for their journeys in the area when the 30-week project at the Kingston Maurward and Football Club roundabouts gets underway in September.

The Highways Agency held a public exhibition at Dorchester Town Football Club for local residents to come and address any concerns.

Highways Agency project sponsor Alexis Wood said she was pleased with the response from members of the public at the exhibition and local councillors, whom they had also briefed about the scheme.

She said: “We have had some quite good comments from the councillors and the general public which we are hoping to take on board and there was nothing too negative.”

The works will involve carriageway widening as well as replacing and improving road lights, signs and drains at the two roundabouts.

Work will also be done to improve pedestrian crossing at the Kingston Maurward roundabout and construct a cycleway at the football club roundabout that will link with the Weymouth Relief Road cycle-path.

Ms Wood said: “Everyone knows the Dorchester bypass isn’t great, particularly in the summer, for congestion.

“The intention of the two roundabout schemes is to alleviate a good percentage of that congestion.”

Gareth Nurse, a consultant at WSP who is working on the project on behalf of the Highways Agency, said work would begin on September 6 with an estimated 30-week completion date taking them through to early April.

He said initially work will be done at night to minimise traffic disruption and then most of the work will be done off the current road to allow for a regular flow of traffic.

Details of the scheme can be found at www.highways.gov.uk/ roads/projects/28213aspx A leaflet outlining the information is also available from West Dorset District Council’s offices, Dorset County Council at County Hall or Dorchester Town Council in North Square.