The closure of a road to aid Olympic traffic to Weymouth, has given the local council an opportunity to widen the A349 link.

Borough of Poole agreed to close the link road to the A31 at Merley, between the two roundabouts, from July 27 to August 12. Now the council’s transportation advisory group is recommending agreeing a £110,000 proposal to widen the road on the west side to create two lanes each way.

It is currently three lanes wide, two up the hill and one down, and queues form at busy times as left turning traffic is held up by drivers attempting to turn right. “Road improvements here are long awaited and it is considered that the temporary road closure here for the Olympics creates a one off opportunity to achieve this with minimal wider additional traffic disruption,” said Julian McLaughlin, head of transportation service, in the report.