TRAFFIC has been hitting gridlock in Weymouth - highlighting the knock-on effect of the new harbour pedestrianisation scheme.

It has been bumper to bumper on the the Esplanade and surrounding streets at times as drivers negotiate the town without access to the harbourside.

Queues backed up from the Pavilion to Pier Bandstand on Tuesday afternoon, leading Dorset Council to issue a warning for drivers to avoid the area via its Travel Dorset service. Tuesday was particularly sunny with more visitors heading to the beach.

Speaking on Tuesday, one beach café trader said: “It has been nose-to-tail both ways between 3 and 5pm this afternoon, with cars queueing as far as the eye can see round behind the Pavilion car park. Without a shadow of a doubt this is due to the harbour pedestrianisation - it’s not normally like this apart from when the Seafood Festival is on at the harbour.”

“It is crazy. One holidaymaker on Sunday that they were sat in a queue all the way back to Greenhill. I do my bit to try and help the environment but with the congestion this scheme is causing, it is the exact opposite of a Green policy.”

The issue is being blamed on controversial new traffic restrictions at the harbour. The scheme is intended to help pub, café and restaurant owners on the quay reopen safely after lockdown by providing an outside seating area on the highway. Several businesses do not have enough space inside for social distancing requirements and would not be able to open otherwise.

However the scheme is causing long queues around town.

Fulvio Figlionlini of Rossi’s ice creams on the Esplanade said: “Traffic has been bad all day, it’s like this any time they shut the harbour. I don’t know why they did it, it’s a crazy idea.”

Lynne Beake, joint leaseholder of The Ocean guesthouse on the seafront said: “It is shambolic. We left our address at 1.15pm and it took 35 minutes to drive to the marina - we were transporting a heavy canopy. Has the council seen the gridlocked traffic? They are destroying Weymouth. Pedestrianisation only helps the big breweries who own businesses along the quayside.”

Dennis Corbett, a resident of East Street in the town centre, said: “There is a complete blockage, the closure of a small section of the harbour is creating havoc.

“We can only imagine what will happen in a few weeks’ time when visitors begin to arrive in numbers. Surely it must be obvious that twelve weeks of this is going to create all sorts of problems, not least to the reputation of our town.”

“Yesterday the seafront was more or less stationary from Hamilton’s restaurant (near Pier Bandstand) all the way to Alexandra Gardens.

“I think there is a general feeling that Weymouth residents are ‘poor relations’ - It looks as if about three pubs on the harbour will benefit from the closure by being able to put out more tables. The rest of us don’t seem to matter.”