ROAD users in Dorchester will be faced with six weeks of temporary traffic lights as Dorset Council replaces aging pedestrian signals.

The High East Street junction of Church Street will be controlled by temporary traffic lights from next Monday, June 2 until Thursday, July 17.

Ice Way will also be closed from June 2 until Friday, June 6 and Friary Lane will be closed from June 2 until July 17 to facilitate the works.

Dorset Council said the new equipment will make the crossing safer and easier to use, with the latest technology set to improve traffic management, and the operating systems will reduce the need for extensive digging during future maintenance.

There will be a signed diversion in place for vehicles during the closures.

Due to the nature of the works and the traffic management required to keep workers, drivers and pedestrians safe, motorists and pedestrians are asked to be prepared for some disruption.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the work and a safe route will be provided.

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A temporary pedestrian crossing will be in place but, due to the configuration of the lights, this may mean a longer waiting time for pedestrians.

Councillor Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s cabinet member for place services, said: “These signal upgrades follow similar improvement work at our crossings on High East Street and High West Street as part of our ongoing traffic signal refurbishment programme.

“Technology has advanced significantly since these signals were installed many years ago.

“The new signals will improve the experience for pedestrians and the smart technology will adapt to traffic conditions to keep vehicles flowing.

“During the works, we will be using the same temporary signals used during our recent Maumbury junction works, which served motorists and us well.

“As with all highways work, there will be some disruption during the improvements and we encourage all road users to allow extra time when planning their journey in this area. Thank you in advance for your patience.”

The work to improve traffic signals around Dorchester is being funded by central government. This phase will be completed before the school summer holidays start.

Further improvement works are planned for late 2025 and in 2026. Details will be publicised nearer to the time.