BEAMINSTER Tunnel will now not re-open until the end of July, according to Dorset County Council.

The news is a further blow for traders and communities living along the A3066.

Only last week hopes were high that stabilisation works would be completed and the road reopened by the end of June or the beginning of July.

The tunnel has been closed since July 7 last year when a landslip killed two people driving along the tunnel road.

But extremely wet ground conditions in one area beyond the south end of the tunnel and walls have meant that test “nails” to stabilise the ground are not working and an alternative solution is being sought by experts.

More than 300 soil nails are in place and soil nailing is underway on the steep slopes above the tunnel, with most nails installed on the northern side and work progressing on the southern side.

Work has also started at the northern entrance to the tunnel to build a new reinforced concrete retaining wall to reinforce the failed masonry wall.

Ramps and platforms have been built to improve access to the slopes and increase the number of machines able to operate at one time.

There are three specialist soil nailing teams working 11 days on, then three days off, and another three teams working on reinforcement, drainage, and soil moving on a rota system making the best use of time.

Miles Butler, Dorset County Council director for environment, said: “This is an extremely complex project in difficult working conditions and we are continually adapting to the challenges we find on site.

“Due to the steep incline of the slopes, abseiling crews have been putting soil nails in place on the steepest, hardest to reach areas. Excavators with long reach arms are used wherever possible as they can work several times faster.

“In a small area low level area beyond the south end of the tunnel and walls, where we found extremely wet ground conditions, the test nails will not work and we are designing an alternative solution to stabilise this area.

“Despite our best efforts we are now expecting the tunnel to reopen in late July.”

It is likely that the tunnel will reopen under two-way traffic lights to enable work to continue on drainage of the slopes. Common Water Lane, a track which runs above the tunnel, will not reopen until the end of August.