COUNCILLORS have officially indicated their support for Weymouth's £77 million relief road.

Dorset County Council, which is responsible for the project, asked members of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council planning and traffic committee to indicate whether they supported the scheme.

The project will involve the construction of a seven-kilometre route between the Manor Roundabout in Weymouth and the Ridgeway.

Councillors unanimously supported the scheme although only seven out of 12 councillors were able to vote since four were away and a fifth - Coun Les Ames - could not take any part in the debate because he is a member of the county planning committee.

Those who were there heard planning officers say that the new road would benefit the economy and the environment and that they "very much welcomed and supported" the county's planning application to them on the road which was an integral part of the structure and integrated transport plans.

But councillors agreed with officers that their support was subject to some key points.

These included tying the purchase of land for the Lorton Valley Country Park ecological mitigation area to the road and getting a clear commitment from the county council to a legally binding management plan for the park.

Coun Mark Tewkesbury said: "The park is an excellent idea but the management plan for it needs to be in a legally binding obligation."

Borough council planning manager Simon Williams agreed.

He said that officers felt it was "timely to remind the county council of what is a long standing issue".

Coun John Birtwistle said: "I am delighted that the relief road is going ahead but I don't share the optimism that it will be the answer to Weymouth's traffic problems. It is a bypass for Broadwey. I just hope the Environment Agency don't find a flood risk or you might be back where you started.

"I am starting the Boot Hill relief road campaign because you are going to need it."

Chairman Coun Doug Hollings said: "We welcome the road which will benefit the economy and reduce congestion, but a management plan for the park is important and we need the county council to work with us on that."

The meeting then voted unanimously to support the scheme, which will also provide a park and ride scheme at Lodmoor.

After the meeting, county relief road project manager Matthew Piles said: "We are pleased at the support from Weymouth and Portland and we will take on board comments and discuss them with the borough council."