OVERNIGHT work on the A31 around Ringwood has been extended into this week due to delays.

Work by the Highways Agency to install new signage over the past few weeks has been met with criticism by some motorists unhappy with the disruption.

The new signage is a result of a long-running campaign by Ringwood Town Council and residents to improve the safety of the road after a number of serious accidents.

More than 70 new signs are set to be installed. The delay in finishing the project is down to underground utility services only uncovered when engineers have started to dig the bases.

A spokesperson for the Highways Agency said: “As with all roadworks, the original schedule is dependent on a number of external factors.

“In this particular case, work is progressing more slowly than originally anticipated because additional underground utility services have been uncovered when digging the sign and gantry bases.

“Our main priority is to ensure that the work is completed to the highest standard possible that will increase road user safety, therefore sometimes it is necessary to extend the period of the work to ensure that this is achieved.”

Next week, work will take place overnight on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on the westbound carriageway. This will be westbound lane closures only.

On Tuesday September 16, there will be a full westbound closure from Ringwood to Ashley Heath.

Two further full closures may be needed, the spokesperson added, but these have not yet been confirmed.

Ringwood Town councillor Michael Thierry, who has campaigned for more safety measures on the road, said previously that he hoped the new signs would ‘yield a dramatic improvement’.

He said he was impressed with their plans despite his previous criticism.

Bid to drop speed limit THE work comes about after campaigners fought for the speed limit from Picket Post to Ringwood to be reduced to 50mph from 70mph.

This followed a series of serious accidents, including one which killed Jade Clark.

But despite a major campaign, backed by residents and politicians, the Highways Agency, backed by the Secretary of State for the Department of Transport, Stephen Hammond, said driver error rather than speed was to blame for the collisions. They instead recommended improved signage on the busy road.