RESIDENTS are bracing themselves for predicted traffic chaos when one of the busiest roads in Dorset is closed from Monday.

Traffic on the A354 between Weymouth and Dorchester will be diverted away from the Ridgeway for 10 nights and there are fears it will lead to speeding vehicles through rural areas.

Businesses at Upwey are concerned it will hit passing trade.

The resurfacing work, from 7pm-6am, will not affect the Weymouth Relief Road but the northern end from Littlemoor to the Ridgeway has to be closed to allow work to be carried out on top of the hill.

Resurfacing on the Ridgeway is long overdue, says Dorset County Council.

It is shutting the road completely between the Stadium Roundabout in Dorchester and the Jurassic Roundabout in Littlemoor for 10 weeknights from Monday until Friday, September 23.

It does not include the weekend of September 17 and 18.

Work is taking place at night outside of rush hour to ease the pain and traffic will be diverted to the eastern side of Weymouth and through Broadmayne on the A352.

Keith Matthews of Coombe Valley Road, a notorious rat-run, says there are fewer cars since the opening of the relief road but speed is still a problem for those vehicles that do. He fears more people will use Coombe Valley Road during the Ridgeway closures instead of following the official diversion.

Mr Matthews said: “The police should patrol the road more often. It’s a particular problem with people coming down the hill – they fly down without thinking.”

Osmington resident Geoff Codd said density and speed of traffic through the village is a common complaint.

He said: “When the relief road opened, we thought we’d see less traffic but it doesn’t seem to have had an effect.

“I expect we’ll be getting more traffic next week as we’re on the diversion route.”

Chairman of Broadmayne Parish Council Steve Diamond said a lot of heavy traffic passed through the village.

He said: “Anything that adds to that is a concern.”

Lorraine D’Agostino of the Riverhouse Inn at Upwey said she lost custom in the 12 weeks when the northern end of Dorchester Road was cut off so the Bincombe junction could be built.

She said news that the Ridgeway will be closed again is causing ‘more stress.’ Mrs D’Agostino said she would like to reassure people that Upwey village is not affected by the closures.

TWO more major routes in Dorset will also be closed this month.

Part of the A350, north of Blandford, will be closed 24 hours a day for five weeks from Monday so engineers can rebuild the carriageway and a culvert – including an otter run.

An alternative route will be signposted while the Steepleton Bends, between Stourpaine and Iwerne Courtney, are dug up.

Drivers will be redirected from the southern end onto the A357 between Durweston and Henstridge and the A30 towards Shaftesbury, where traffic can re-join the A350 southbound.

A major stretch of the A351, linking Poole to Purbeck, will close for maintenance work between the Baker’s Arms and Holton Heath roundabouts for five weeks from Monday, September 19.

A lengthy detour will be set up through Sandford, on the B3075 through Wareham Forest and back onto the A35.