A community has been given the chance to express their concerns and find out more information about a current roadworks project which has caused delays.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) hosted their second information session at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy yesterday to provide an update on their £2.6 million project to replace seven kilometres of electricity cable which supplies Portland.

The works, which started mid-January, have now moved along the A354 Portland Beach Road towards Wyke Regis.

The works are currently at the Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre as well as on Marlborough Avenue and South Road in Wyke Regis.

The work is being carried out due to the old cable being exposed by rocks on Chesil Beach and leaking oil.

Although there are still occasional delays on the beach road, the project team have been monitoring traffic lights and said that through most of the day, delays are only around six minutes long, with delays of 19 to 22 minutes in the peak times.

Design engineer for SSEN Chris Smart said: “The project is going really well and we are a week or two ahead.

“We are making about 80 metres per day and have been able to do more than we expected on Marlborough Avenue and South Road.”

“It’s easier now we are away from Portland.

“When we get to the roundabout, it will be easier for both us and the traffic due to natural diversions.”

One key concern from some residents was the new road surface. SSEN are considering getting a machine to lay a new surface on the road after the works are done.

Also in attendance was John Bagg, a resident of Marlborough Avenue, where work is taking place.

He said: “I’ve got no complaints about the roadworks. Disruption has been kept as minimal as it can be. They’ve been working in front of our house and have been very helpful, making sure that I can get to my property.

“People may moan about it, but it needs to be done.”

When the project returns for phase two in September, it won’t affect the highways.

Mr Smart said: “We will remove the cable from the oyster beach, across the mudflat and be able to remove it from the back of the visitor centre, so there will be no road closures.”

When the works are completed, the new cable will make the local network more robust and resilient, minimising the risk of power cuts for customers in the Weymouth and Portland area.