REPAIRS will start next week on a collapsed wall that has seen a stretch of the A30 in north Dorset partially closed for a year.

Motorists in Sherborne have faced daily delays on the A30 Kitt Hill since February last year when a car crashed into a wall.

The road was fully closed for several weeks and has more recently been subject to three-way traffic lights.

Dorset Council has now confirmed that engineers and builders have been appointed with repair work due to start on Monday, February 13.

A spokesperson said the work ‘should’ take around three months - but warned there could be ‘problems that won’t be known until the work begins’ and that they could take longer.

Once the work is complete, the scaffolding will be removed and both lanes of the A30 will be able to be re-opened.

The closure has been a source of frequent frustration for locals and even prompted, MP for West Dorset, Chris Loder to launch a petition calling for the road to re-open.

Last October, Mr Loder called for Sherborne West councillor Matt Hall to resign over the issue and said he would go as far as asking the government to intervene.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: “We have received confirmation from the property owners that they have arranged for work to repair the wall at Kitt Hill in Sherborne to begin next week. 

“The property owners have appointed structural engineers and builders, and the repairs are due to start on Monday 13 February.

“It’s difficult to estimate how long the works will take as this is an old wall and there could be problems that won’t be known until the work begins. However, the works should take around three months providing no new internal issues are identified. 

“As soon as the works are complete and final safety checks have been made, we will be able to remove the scaffolding and traffic management measures, and reopen both lanes of the A30.

“We'd like to take the opportunity to thank local residents for their patience and understanding while this complicated matter is being resolved.”