Wimborne | Posted on June 12th, 2026 | return to news

Controversial Wimborne bridge traffic trial to end early

Dorset Council is to reopen Julian’s Bridge to two-way traffic.

Drivers living in or passing through Wimborne Minster will likely have been affected by congestion and queues caused by a traffic trial on Julian’s Bridge.

In late May, Dorset Council installed traffic lights and reduced the ancient stone bridge’s two lanes of traffic to one. The signal-controlled one-way traffic was part of a trial to see whether it would make the bridge safer to cross for bikes and pedestrians.

The bridge is too narrow for a dedicated footpath, meaning people must share the road with traffic to cross the river. This has led to 12 incidents of vehicles crashing into the bridge parapets in the past 25 years and at least five injury crashes in the past five years, according to Dorset Council.

The trial was due to last six weeks until early July. However, the council has announced the trial will now end on Thursday 18 June – about two weeks early.

It has received plenty of public feedback: nearly 3,000 people have replied to the council’s survey, and there has been extensive traffic monitoring of journeys, speeds and the impact across the wider area.

However, the lights will remain in place during the popular (and busy) Wimborne Minster Folk Festival. The council says this is important to collect data when the bridge is busiest with people on foot, as large numbers of people visit the festival.

Cllr Jon Andrews, Cabinet Member for Place Services, said: “We know this trial has been difficult for people, especially when the road has been busy, but we are listening to what residents and businesses tell us.

“The huge response to our survey and the data we’ve collected illustrates how the single lane works in practice for vehicle movement over the bridge and in the local area.

“However, we also need to gather data when large numbers cross on foot. Keeping the trial in place over the Folk Festival will give us this valuable insight when the bridge is at its busiest for pedestrians.

“That means we can bring the trial to an earlier close and reopen the bridge fully on Thursday 18 June.

“This is about making sure any future decisions are based on clear evidence. We need to find the right balance between keeping people safe, keeping traffic moving and respecting the bridge’s historic status as a Grade I listed structure.

“I thank everyone who took the time to share their views and helped us reach this point. Thank you too for your patience.”

It is hoped that the traffic trial will provide evidence to support the creation of a separate footpath bridge next to Julian’s Bridge, like the one that runs alongside Canford Bridge.