IMPROVEMENTS to Chafeys Roundabout are set to start today as part of Weymouth’s new ‘Olympic’ cycleway.

The £200,000 Granby Way route – between the town’s Wessex and Chafeys roundabouts – is the first of four to be built in the borough for 2012.

The work includes widening crossing islands, realigning kerbs and reducing traffic lanes at Chafeys Roundabout.

Dorset County Council says the latest improvements will benefit pedestrians and cyclists alike – during the Olympics and beyond.

Transport spokesman Colonel Geoffrey Brierley said: “The Chafeys Roundabout improvements form a significant part of the Granby Way cycleway and footway scheme.

“It will be an important legacy from the 2012 Games sailing events in Weymouth and Portland.

“It will help residents and visitors to get to the spectator viewing areas by foot and bike and will contribute towards a sustainable London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

The first part of Chafeys Roundabout to be improved will be Field Barn Drive and its joining kerb with Weymouth Way. Weymouth Way traffic islands will then be worked on, and the kerb along Radipole Lake will also be realigned.

Westham county councillor Mike Byatt said: “Hopefully reducing the number of lanes onto the roundabout will slow traffic down and give a shorter space for people to cross.”

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will undertake landscaping work during the improvements to avoid further traffic disruption.

County council engineers have also brought forward planned maintenance on the approach roads, to prevent more disruption later this year.

Dorset Cyclists’ Network member Mike Kelly, from Weymouth, said: “I’m pleased to see the progress being made on the new cycleway.

“The work they’re doing on Chafeys Roundabout will reduce the speed of motorists, it will definitely help.”

But Mr Kelly called on Dorset County Council to go one step further for pedestrians and cyclists – by making the roundabout a 30mph zone.

“The oddity with Chafeys Roundabout is that Weymouth Way and Granby Way are both 50mph, while Field Barn Drive is 30mph and Goldcroft Road is 20mph,” he added.

“There’s an awful anomaly there and surely the logical completion of these improvements would be a 30mph limit for the roundabout.”