A KEY route through Dorset will be closed due to urgent works to remove a dead tree - with a 43-mile diversion route in place.
A section of the A3066 Tunnel Road near Beaminster will be shut for one day to allow Upton Tree Services Ltd safe access to carry out tree works.
The A-road, which will be shut either side of the tunnel, will be closed between 8am and 5pm on Thursday, August 26.
A public notice from Dorset Council reads: "This Notice will enable Upton Tree Services Ltd safe access to carry out urgent tree works on behalf of Dorset Council to remove dead tree."
Travel Dorset has published the official diversion route online, which will take approximately one hour and eight minutes to follow the 43-mile route.
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To bypass the roadworks, motorists must head northwest on A3066 before turning right onto the A356 and follow the route.
Drivers will turn right onto the A37 Dorchester Road and follow the route and take the second exit on the roundabout to stay on the A-road.
At Monkeys Jump roundabout, drivers will take the fourth exit onto A35 and follow for 12.8 miles into Bridport.
Motorists must take the third exit on the roundabout onto A3066 Sea Road and follow the A-road for a mile before taking the second exit onto A3066 Beaminster Road.
Drivers should follow the A3066 for nearly five miles before taking the second exit onto A3066 Tunnel Road.
The reason for the length of the diversion is because the closure is on an A-road and therefore any official alternative route must use the same class of road.
Alternatively, there are a number of shorter but unofficial routes that drivers can take to avoid the road closure. These are not suitable for HGVs and should be avoided if using larger machinery.
Dorset Council warns that any person who breaches the road closure could be convicted or face a fine not exceeding £1,000.
The diversion route will be signposted on the road.
Anyone with any concerns or wish to discuss any issues regarding the roadworks can contact Dorset Council online via http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/roadworks/enquiries
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