Ten weeks of work on Ferndown's shopping street start 7 September. The road and all shops stay open, with planters, seating and parking changes coming.

Ten weeks of improvement work on Victoria Road, Ferndown’s main shopping street, start on Monday 7 September. The road will stay open throughout, and the council says pedestrian access to every business will be maintained at all times.

Dorset Council confirmed the start date on 25 August. The scheme was designed after public consultation with residents and businesses. Ferndown Town Council and Litter Free Dorset are contributing to the cost alongside Dorset Council.

If the work runs to schedule, it will finish around mid-November.

Key facts panel: Victoria Road Ferndown improvement works run about ten weeks from 7 September 2026, the road stays open throughout, and parking changes follow after the works
Graphic by The Dorset Post

What the scheme includes

The council says the aim is to create an avenue effect along Victoria Road, improve the street scene and discourage parking on the footway. The plans include:

  • kerbside planting beds built into the footway, with heritage-style bollards to deter footway parking
  • nine large planters containing ornamental trees along the length of the road, two of them with built-in seating
  • additional seating areas with planting on both sides of the road
  • new heritage-style benches, cycle stands and litter bins

Cllr Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s Cabinet member for Place Services, said residents and businesses were “keen to see investment that improves the look and feel of the area while supporting local trade”.

On disruption, he said: “Victoria road will remain open throughout the works, with pedestrian access to all businesses maintained at all times.”

Ferndown’s mayor, Cllr Lawrence Wilson, said the town council had promised to do what it could to improve the town, and called the scheme “a significant step forward”. He confirmed the works are expected to take approximately ten weeks.

Parking changes to follow

Parking was one of the biggest issues raised during consultation. Alongside the street improvements, Dorset Council has proposed changes to nearby short-stay parking and loading:

  • Victoria Road: a dedicated loading bay close to the Post Office, maximum stay 20 minutes, no return within one hour
  • “no loading” restrictions next to and opposite that bay to keep the carriageway clear
  • removal of the temporary “no loading” restrictions on the rest of Victoria Road, restoring the previous “no waiting” rules, which would let Blue Badge holders park in those areas again
  • Princes Road: marked bays for up to eight vehicles, maximum stay 30 minutes, with a one-hour allowance for Blue Badge holders

These changes need amendments to Traffic Regulation Orders, a statutory process with its own public consultation. The council says they may not be in place until after the street works finish. Details of how to comment are on the Victoria Road project page.

What it means for you

  • You can still drive along Victoria Road and walk into every shop while the work is on. The council has committed to keeping both open throughout.
  • Expect construction activity on the street for about ten weeks from Monday. The council says it will “make every effort to minimise the impact” on businesses, residents, customers and visitors.
  • The parking changes are proposals, not decisions. If the loading bay or the Princes Road bays matter to you, respond to the Traffic Regulation Order consultation via the project page.
  • Monday is a busy day for Dorset Council’s highways teams: the Abbotsbury Road junction works in Weymouth start the same day.
  • For live disruption across the county, see our Dorset roadworks and travel page. For car parks and restrictions elsewhere, see parking in Dorset.

Sources