MOTORISTS could face travel chaos on Dorset’s roads this month as several rounds of overnight roadworks take place on the A35 and A31.

There will be ten separate closures to the A35 between 8pm and 6am this month for resurfacing, which is being carried out by the Highways Agency.

These include closures between Bridport and Dorchester today, Friday and September 15, 16 and 17.

Following this the Puddletown bypass will be closed between Northbrook and Troytown on September 23 in both directions, and there will also be closures on two sections of the A35 Dorchester bypass on September 24 and 25.

These will be between Monkey’s Jump roundabout and the football ground roundabout and between the football ground roundabout and Stinsford roundabout.

Officials stressed the junction at the football ground roundabout will be open for traffic on the A354 to Weymouth and the B3147 to Dorchester on both nights.

There have already been several closures this week, including between Axminster and Bridport on Tuesday and Wednesday and to the A31 westbound carriageway on Tuesday and Wednesday between the Ringwood interchange and the Ashley Heath roundabout.

Sandy Duncan from the Coach and Horses in Winterborne Abbas had to arrange access to the pub during Friday’s roadworks as she feared it could force them to cancel a fundraising event for Julia’s House.

She said: “When they initially said about the closures I thought ‘oh no’ because the night has been 12 months in the making. But they have been very good and have arranged to allow access to the pub on Friday, September 12 for people to get here.”

A Highways Agency spokesperson said: “The Highways Agency coordinates roadworks to ensure that any delays and disruption to drivers are kept to a minimum. As such, the resurfacing work on the A35 this week has been scheduled to take place overnight.

“We would like to reassure road users that diversion routes during the closures will be clearly signposted.”