'MUCH-needed' improvements to a busy junction in Dorchester have been completed and welcomed.

Residents are feeling the benefit of long-awaited upgrades at the busy Maumbury junction where a project, begun in mid-January 2025, is now a safer, more pedestrian-friendly space.

Dorset Council says, with around 15,000 vehicles passing through daily and high footfall from students, commuters, shoppers, care home residents and visitors, the work was essential to ensure safety and ease of movement for everyone.

The completed upgrades include:

• New signal-controlled pedestrian crossings on all major arms of the junction, including Maumbury Road (east and west) and Weymouth Avenue (north)
• The latest signalling equipment that adjusts to vehicle numbers to improve traffic flow
• Wider and levelled footways, offering more space and comfort for pedestrians, including those with mobility aids or pushchairs
• A new cycleway and advanced stop line on the uphill section of Maumbury Road, improving safety and visibility for cyclists
• A relocated Puffin crossing closer to Queens Avenue, replacing the previous crossing on the railway bridge, providing a more spacious route for schoolchildren and other pedestrians
• Relocated bus stop to accommodate the new crossing and to improve pedestrian flow.

Local resident Geoff, said: "The improvements to the road junction have made a tremendous difference to the pavements, the crossings and the overall safety.

"The pavements have been made wider, smoother and much better for getting across.

"There is now a pedestrian crossing on every road in the junction which makes it safe now for pedestrians and everyone crossing.

"The crossings have been done in such a way in which they don't interfere with the traffic and yet they are totally safe for pedestrians so, all in all, a vast improvement for the junction.

"Thank you to the workforce that have done the work. Despite the challenges they faced during the works, they were always polite and helpful in assisting anyone in getting across the roads."

Cllr Jon Andrews, Cabinet Member for Place Services, said: "I am delighted with the new layout of this vital route.

"It is now safer, more accessible and more efficient for everyone, whether walking, wheeling, cycling or driving.

"We're grateful to everyone for their patience during the works.

"Our in-house highways team transformed the junction and I thank them for completing the project on time. I also want to thank all those thousands of people who depend on the junction for their understanding while we carried out these much-needed improvements."

The project was shaped by community feedback, including valuable input from the Dorchester Access Group.

The works were supported through central government funding and Dorset Council's capital investment programme to provide upgraded, safer roads and better transport systems. 

How the crossing used to be:-