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DRIVERS are bracing themselves for yet another round of roadworks at two key Purbeck traffic hubs.

Temporary lights on the A35 at busy Morden Park Corner - one of Dorset's worst accident blackspots - will be in place for up to six weeks from January 21.

Meanwhile, six weeks of scheduled sewer maintenance under Wool's Dorchester Road, that started on Monday, are already slowing traffic to a crawl.

Bill Green, from Dorset County Council's environment services department, said: "While there will be some disruption as the Morden Park Corner roadworks take place, the works are essential for accident prevention and maintenance reasons.

"This junction on the A35 has a poor accident record, with most incidents involving vehicles waiting in the centre of the road to turn right.

"The roadworks follow local consultation and will see the road widened by about five feet on each side to allow through traffic to negotiate cars waiting to turn."

These developments come just two months after Purbeck traffic was brought to a virtual standstill by a road closure on the B3075 at the same Morden Park Corner junction, and by temporary traffic lights on the A351.

During October some drivers reported journey times on affected routes increasing by more than an hour.

According to Dorset County Council figures, Morden Park Corner lays claim to almost half of all shunts recorded on the Bere Regis to Lytchett Minster stretch of the A35.

In Wool, Wessex Water engineers are working to upsize 170 metres of existing sewer. Temporary lights are in place to enable the road to remain open.

A Wessex Water spokesman said: "This is essential work and part of our flood alleviation scheme."The work is between the junctions with Cedar Close and Linclieth Road.