RESIDENTS say they are 'furious' over the 'never-ending traffic chaos' on a main road in Wimborne.

Commuters travelling between Merley and the Bear Cross roundabout have been experiencing "mind-boggling" traffic jams as a result of roadworks being carried out by SGN.

SGN has stated that the works will continue until October, meaning people can expect increased journey times for over a month.

One person, who wished to remain anonymous, said they have no choice but to make the journey every day, noting that a drive that usually takes five minutes has taken over an hour on a daily basis.

They said: "This hell has gone on daily for far too long, and absolutely nothing has been done to alleviate this mess.

"To endure this farce and travel no more than two miles in an hour and 20 minutes almost every day is frankly depressing.

"The traffic is clearly not being managed in any kind of sensible manner to alleviate these horrendous queues."

SGN said they are upgrading the gas network on Magna Road near Wimborne and have installed temporary three-way traffic lights around the work area.

As the work progresses, SGN says they will switch to temporary two-way traffic lights.

One resident, Rachel Wood, who lives in Merley, said: "It's getting ridiculous. I have had to leave for work 40 minutes earlier than I normally would.

"Magna Road is a key route, which many people use to drive to work or take their children to school.

"The whole road is standstill traffic, and it has gotten worse now that schools have started again."

She added: "I understand that SGN needs to carry out these works, but I just don't understand why it is taking so long and why the traffic isn't managed better."

Bradley Barlow, a spokesperson for the gas distribution company SGN, said: "Our engineers are making excellent progress, working extended hours and weekends to complete our work.

"The project is currently scheduled to be completed by Friday, October 11, but we hope to finish ahead of schedule."

He added: "We're sorry for any inconvenience our work may cause to the local community and would recommend allowing extra time for your journeys."