CROSSED wires have hampered completion of a long-awaited improvement to one of Christchurch's biggest traffic bottlenecks.

Work began in October to install a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights and widen the road at the approach to the roundabout to provide a longer left-hand filter lane on to the eastbound carriageway of the A35 Christchurch bypass.

But complications caused by the weather and installation of the necessary power supplies for the traffic lights and street lamps means the work, which started in October, is unlikely to be finished before the end of the month.

Peter Barker, operations manager at Christchurch Council, which is undertaking the project, said: "This has been a difficult contract involving the movement of utilities and has been hampered by poor weather but the highway construction is now completed." "It now needs the completion of the electrical connection to the lights to allow the left-hand lane to be opened and this work is programmed for the end of this month."

The left turning lane has long been demanded by motorists and villagers to ease the congestion on Stony Lane since the layout of the Stony Lane roundabout was controversially altered in 1999.

Rush-hour congestion at the roundabout is also blamed for encouraging more traffic, including heavy lorries, to use the Salisbury Road past the village school, church and Post Office to avoid the queues.

Burton ward councillor Colin Jamieson said: "This was an opportunity to get added value fromwork that had to be done anyway because of the drainage and the road was worn out.

"The work was substantially completed before Christmas but the lane cannot be opened on safety grounds until the lights are in place."

Cllr Jamieson added: "I think people just want to get it over and done with but it is circumstances out of the council's control."