HIGHWAYS bosses have defended their decision to allow roadworks on a busy Bournemouth road yards from the major disruption on the Wessex Way.

A developer will be allowed to dig up Wimborne Road to connect a new block of flats to a sewer at the junction with St Valerie Road.

The work, which will involve installing temporary three-way traffic lights, is due to begin on Monday, March 15 and last up to three weeks.

It takes place only a short distance from the Wessex Way's Richmond Hill junction, where slip roads on the Wimborne Road side are set to be closed from tomorrow afternoon.

One commuter, Sammi Willson, said: "I think they're mad. Can't they finish one bit before they disrupt somewhere else?"

Geoff Turnbull, group manager for engineering design at Bournemouth Borough Council, said a private company needed to connect its new development to the sewer system.

He said: "Because the Wessex Way work has been ongoing for a couple of months now and has got three or four weeks still to go, we've had a backlog of people in the vicinity who are keen to do things on the highway.

"We've said to them that rather than wait until we've finished before they can start going in, there's an opportunity when we've got the slip road closed on Richmond Hill to tackle limited works, because the traffic levels on Wimborne Road reduce when we close slip roads on Richmond Hill."

He added: "We can't refuse these things because they have to be done but we can control the timing of them and we're trying to do that the best way for everybody."

Central ward councillor Bob Chapman said he had received several calls from commuters concerned about the roadworks. But he said he was relying on Mr Turnbull's expertise.

He added: "Obviously I'm concerned about it but then these jobs have to be done and I really have to rely on his judgement.

"I'm sure he's right on the fact that there's less traffic on this bit of Wimborne Road while the slip roads are shut because traffic seems to be using Lansdowne Road more and Glenferness Avenue is being used a lot for people wanting to go to Wallisdown."