RELIEF could be in sight from the annual springtime roadworks misery for thousands of frustrated drivers.

Drivers have been fuming at traffic jams from projects at Stage Gate on the A31; the Canford Bottom roundabout revamp; and the diversion while the A351 Sandford Road is closed northbound.

But the Stag Gate works have come to a temporary halt, while the Sandford work should be over by the end of next week.

And four weeks of roadworks on Bournemouth’s Ringwood Road, from the Mountbatten roundabout to the Poole Lane roundabout, have not been causing as much congestion was feared.

The preponderance of roadworks towards the end of the financial year is a regular bugbear for drivers.

Ian Belchamber, founder of road group Dorset Speed, said more planning was needed.

“There seems to be no proper thinking, science, planning or experience going into it,” he said.

If a company like BT needs to dig up a road, other utilities should be approached to see if any work they are planning could be done at the same time, he said.

Mr Belchamber, from Upton, added: “You often see large lengths dug up and just one bloke sitting with a shovel drinking a cup of tea.”

Dorset County Council’s road space manager Kevin Cheleda said the council works with utility companies and the Highways Agency, which is carrying out the A31 projects, to try to avoid disruption.

Wessex Water workers are installing a new sewer on the A351 at Sandford, which the council closed last autumn for resurfacing.

This was a different section , he said, and co-ordinating the works would have cut off the Holton Heath industrial estate for five weeks.

Mr Cheleda added: “The county council has quarterly meetings with utility companies and Bournemouth and Poole borough councils to review planned roadworks, to try to avoid disruption and improve co-ordination.”

Cllr Michael Filer, Bournemouth council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “When roadworks are done, it’s not just a question of men arriving in the lorry and doing them. There’s a lot of planning.”

He said he had held meetings with gas, electricity and water companies to agree that roadworks should start earlier in the morning and later at night.

THE AA’s Head of Road Policy, Paul Watters, said spring is a ‘window of opportunity’ for works before tourists head to the south coast.

Mr Watters said: “Some of the work is major schemes that are desperately needed.

“There we are looking at short term pain for a long term gain but frustrating for drivers.”

Roads are also being smartened up before the imminent Olympic sailing events in Weymouth, he added.

“Getting the infrastructure ready for the Olympics is important,” Mr Watters said.

“People in many areas will be moaning they are not having anything done. It’s good to be active and doing road repairs but they can be a real nuisance.

“Drivers do not like to be stuck in queues for hours on end, wasting fuel.”