From Monday, 8 January, construction work commences at Fairfield Road to improve safety and accessibility.

The road is part of Fairfield car park and runs between Weymouth Avenue and Maumbury Road. It is heavily used by pedestrians but it has no footways. Parked cars block visibility and two-way traffic passes through.

It serves the car park and many people use it to access Brewery Square. The road also forms part of the signed pedestrian route between Dorchester West and Dorchester South railway stations for passengers changing between the services on each line.

The work will:

• Create a wide footway along the length of Fairfield Road
• Provide safer crossing points across Fairfield Road at junctions
• Install a new access into the car park directly from the railway station (from Copper Street)
• Provide better street lighting on Fairfield Road
• Create a pedestrianised space at the busy eastern end by restricting vehicle access

Signs will be erected in advance of the works to notify drivers. Work is planned to be finished by Friday 16 February.

All businesses and the Dorchester markets will be open as usual, but people may need to access these using a different route that will be marked.

The work will take place in three phases.

Phase one – Maumbury Road end of Fairfield Road

8 January to 19 January

• Maumbury Road will be closed southbound from Great Western Cross to, and including, Fairfield Road access – a diversion route will be signed for drivers to use Great Western Road
• Fairfield Road access will be available from Weymouth Avenue
• Fairfield Car Park access will remain available from Upper Fairfield Road

Phase two – Weymouth Avenue end of Fairfield Road

22 January to 2 February 

• Temporary three-way signals will be in place on Weymouth Avenue (and Copper Street)
• Fairfield Car Park access will only be available from Upper Fairfield Road (or via the access gate next to Market Café)
• Weymouth Avenue access into Fairfield Road will be closed

Phase three - final footway, surfacing and finishing works

From Monday 5 February

• Fairfield Car Park access will be available from Maumbury Road/Fairfield Road
• Vehicle access will no longer be available from Weymouth Avenue onto Fairfield Road
• Localised works on Fairfield Road will require some footway closures

Councillor Ray Bryan, Councillor Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: "The current arrangement is difficult for less mobile people and those using buggies or mobility scooters, as well as train users with heavy luggage.

"This will create a safer and more pleasant route for people who use this busy part of the town."

The access improvements will be funded by the Department for Transport's (DfT) through its Active Travel Fund. This supports schemes to improve conditions for people on walking, wheeling or cycling.

Working with Dorchester Town Council, more improvements are planned for the pedestrianised eastern end to enhance the public realm, including planting and benches.