WEST BAY residents celebrated a victory after it was announced a controversial pinch point will be removed next month.

The current road design narrows West Bay Road to prevent two-way traffic, forcing vehicles leaving the harbour to give way to motorists on their way in.

Members of the West Bay Community Forum had branded the system, which was implemented as part of the £1.25m West Bay enhancement scheme, ‘an accident waiting to happen.’ There were numerous delays to completing the project even though it was approved by council chiefs last year.

A petition calling for the removal of the pinch point was signed by 1,500 people, but works were apparently delayed due to disagreements between district and county councillors.

In the latest development, West Dorset District Council said work will begin next month, putting an end to the saga, which in part led to the formation of the West Bay Forum.

West Dorset District Council’s head of planning community and policy development, Hilary Jordan (pictured above), said work was about to start.

She said: “Work will start on April 13 at West Bay to make changes to the traffic management scheme that were requested in a petition from local residents and businesses.

“The pinch point at Haddon House will be widened and a safer pedestrian crossing point will be put in at St John’s Church.”

Speaking about the delay in implementing the necessary work, she added: “The district council’s executive committee agreed in July that additional funding would be reserved for these changes.

“Since then, further design work and safety audits have been carried out.”

Last year Ros Kayes, who is the forum’s council representative, gave an idea of what the finished project would look like when it was discussed with the West Bay Community Forum committee.

Speaking to the committee, she said the works will create ‘a visual carriageway narrowing using coloured surfacing and edge demarcation with flush kerbs and white lining cross the carriageway, with elderly people crossing signs.’