IT MAY be another month before the outcome of the public inquiry into the Weymouth Relief Road is revealed.

Archaeologists are currently setting up in Littlemoor to carry out investigations ahead of the proposed £84 million road but Dorset County Council is still waiting on a green light from the public inquiry into compulsory purchase and side road orders for the scheme.

South Dorset MP Jim Knight said: "My understanding is that, while we were hoping to hear by the end of this month, it is looking like the end of next month now because of last-minute representations."

However, Mr Knight is confident the relief road will become a reality and said he applauds the council for starting preparations.

He said: "Starting on the archaeological works shows the council is doing all the right things in making sure that as soon as we have got the necessary approval through we can proceed very quickly."

Contractors Skanska are setting up a compound off Littlemoor Road for archaeologists to use as a base as they investigate the five-mile relief road area over a period of six months.

Dorset County Council's director for environment Miles Butler said: "Getting the compound up and running is very important, it means that we will be in a position to start a substantial archaeological investigation in the autumn.

"The archaeological works will take around six months and will cover the whole relief road site.

"There hasn't been an investigation of this nature and size in Weymouth for many years and it's vital that everything of interest is recorded precisely.

"We're looking forward to sharing with the Weymouth community any historical or cultural finds."

The inquiry conducted by inspector Alan Gray into the compulsory purchase and side road orders was closed in March and his findings were originally expected to be revealed some time around the end of July.

The Government Office for the North East, which deals with all compulsory purchase orders, is still considering Mr Gray's report and has yet to give the Dorset County Council an indication of exactly when the final decision will be revealed.

As the delays drag on, the council is keen to do as much preliminary work as possible so that, if the road is given the go-ahead, work can start straight away and the authority will be able to stick to its target completion date of spring 2011.

Other work already carried out includes relocating more than 1,000 slow-worms from near Lodmoor landfill where the proposed park and ride will be situated, as well as removing more than 20 rusting and burned-out cars from the Lorton Valley and carrying out tree management works at Horselynch Plantation.