IT’S caused months of traffic misery and affected businesses – but the good news is that Basingstoke’s Alencon Link will partially open up to two-way traffic from Saturday.

The key town centre road has been closed to eastbound traffic heading from Victory Roundabout towards the station since April as part of a £1.5million upgrade being carried out by Hampshire County Council.

However, on Saturday, both lanes will be open to traffic at the weekends – and by the end of November, the road will be open every day to two-way traffic.

The announcement has been welcomed by Festival Place centre director Steven Connolly, who said it will boost trade in the town centre in the run-up to Christmas.

“We are delighted the council has decided to open Alencon Link over the weekends,” he said. “We want to make sure that access to Festival Place is as easy as possible during the busy festive period.”

On the 300-metre stretch, the county council is constructing a shared-use pedestrian and cycle link from Victory Roundabout to Chapel Hill Round-about.

The subway connecting Winterthur Way to The Anvil entrance is also being removed, and signal- controlled pedestrian crossing installed to improve pedestrian access to The Malls, the railway station, and The Anvil.

The footpath works are scheduled to finish by December 6, and planting new vegetation to finish off the scheme will happen in the New Year.

Councillor Seán Woodward, the county council’s transport chief, said: “Hampshire County Council always strives to support the local economy and this is why, after discussions with our partners at Festival Place, The Malls, and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, we decided to open Alencon Link over the weekends to accommodate the extended Christmas shopping period.”