A COMMUNITY is braced for six weeks of disruption as a section of the coast road closes.

The closure is part of a £250,000 water mains scheme in Portesham.

Teams will work on a 200-metre stretch of the B3157 (Goose Hill) to the west of the village, replacing the main with new plastic pipes in a project that will start on Monday, September 30, with a scheduled finish on Friday, November 8.

Concerns were raised to Portesham Parish Council at a meeting also attended by Wessex Water representatives.

One of the key issues discussed included the school bus service with concerns regarding transportation for children attending Portesham and Budmouth Schools.

Public bus services was another issue that residents enquired about as well as access to Portesham Surgery.

Residents also expressed concerns about the proposed diversion routes plus emergency vehicle access.

Wessex Water have since responded to concerns raised.

A spokesperson said: “This is an essential investment of more than £200,000 to replace a deteriorating water main within the B3157 on the western side of Portesham that is prone to bursts, causing disruption for customers in the area but we’re acutely aware that this road closure will cause significant impact locally.

“That’s why we’ve been working closely with the local authority, parish councils, businesses, customers and other stakeholders to identify these issues and, where possible, put measures in place to help address them.

“This has included writing directly to customers throughout the area, holding community drop-in sessions and attending parish meetings at which we were able to brief members about measures to help mitigate these impacts. We are also funding a shuttle bus service between Abbotsbury and Bridport for the duration of the project.

“Road closures are always a last resort and depend on the location of existing infrastructure, but we always work hard to complete the work and get routes reopen as quickly as possible.’’

Councillors Sally Holland and David Collins of the parish council were both present at the meeting.

A spokesperson for the parish council said: “Wessex Water assured attendees that all stakeholders have been notified and consulted. However, some details, particularly regarding the school bus services, remain unresolved. The parish council, with the support of ward councillor Sally Holland, will follow up with Dorset Council’s transport team to address these concerns."

The road will be closed to through traffic in both directions between the entrance to Manor Dairy and just past Malthouse Meadow for the main replacement, with work continuing seven days a week.

Traffic will be officially diverted using the B3157, A354 (Weymouth Way), B3159 and A35 roads and, as well as traditional road signs, digital road displays will be in place at various locations, including Weymouth and Bridport, to advise drivers about the closure.

The roadworks will mean that the X53 bus route will divert via Winterbourne Abbas, with a special and temporary T53 bus service being put in place, operating a shuttle service between Abbotsbury and Bridport.