All businesses at Parley Cross will be open and accessible from the crossroads (mags4dorset library photograph)
One of the busiest commuter routes to and from Bournemouth, the A347 New Road in West Parley will be closed for three weeks from 2 March and will cause disruption during peak commuter hours when extra traffic is forced onto the diversion route.
Dorset County Council officers say the structure of the road is severely damaged and needs to be repaired. The county council are employing specialists, Stabilised Pavements Ltd, who will be able to recycle the material in situ and by adding bulking and binding elements will give the road a new lease of life.
A full closure will be in place below Parley Cross up to Ensbury Bridge over the River Stour. The work is part of the council’s planned highway maintenance and will include resurfacing and resolving drainage issues.
The diversion will be signed via the B3073 Christchurch Road to Longham, A348 over Longham Bridge and A341 through Kinson.
Cllr John Wilson, local councillor and chairman of the county council, said, “Unfortunately, this closure will cause considerable disruption and inconvenience for local residents, businesses and commuters, but it is essential work to keep our highway network functioning and I am satisfied that this method of repairing the road takes the shortest time.
“I advise people to use the well signed diversion route, but I expect that local motorists will soon select the best alternatives for their journeys. Bus passengers should soon be advised by the bus companies about temporary bus stops and changes to journey times.”
On the plus side for pedestrians, they will have full access at all times. Cyclists will be asked to dismount.
All the businesses at Parley Cross will be open and accessible from the crossroads.
Andrew Martin, the county council’s head of highways said: “Although this work is weather dependant we are confident that we will be able to complete the work in three weeks. The team will also pick up a small repair on B3073 Christchurch Road (West of Parley Cross) out of peak time.”
“By recycling the material we have cut the time the road has to be closed and it is also a cheaper, more efficient way to reconstruct the damaged structure.
“We will work with the residents affected by this closure, checking that access is available when it’s needed.
During this closure, work will start on repainting and repairing Ensbury Bridge, continuing until 3 July.
Following the reopening of New Road a restriction of narrow lanes will allow light vehicles such as cars, vans and buses to pass over the bridge but not HGVs. A diversion route will be put in place and advertised.
Temporary traffic lights will be used at the end of the project so that the scaffolding can be removed.
VERY Old article. Dorset County Council hasn’t existed since April 2019 and if you Google Cllr John Wilson, well he sadly died in 2016.
No advance warning signs as of today,so if you have no access to a computer you are in for a shock, great planning to coincide this work at the same time as the shambles in Whitlegg Way,and on going road works in longham. I guess none of you live any where near this area.. Shambles.
Is this actually happening? It looks as if it might refer to work that was done a year or two ago but there is no date of when the article was written.
Old article, easily at least six years old. Dorset County Council was abolished in April 2019. Cllr John Wilson passed away in 2016.
(Not sure why my previous attempts at replying have not passed moderation and are being deleted – they are facts and other responses have been sent anonymously) This is an old article. Dorset County Council was abolished in 2019, and Cllr John Wilson passed away in 2016.