A GROUP of "concerned" individuals, including nine city councillors, have sent a letter to Salisbury City Council, urging it to proceed with plans for the pedestrianisation of the city centre.

It comes as seven city councillors and the President of Salisbury Chamber of Commerce signed a letter calling for Wiltshire Council to reconsider its plans.

Benji Goehl, Jimmy Walker and Margaret Willmot presented their letter of support to Councillor Jeremy Nettle, Leader of Salisbury City Council, on the steps of the Guildhall this morning.

In the letter, they "urge" the council "to support the implementation of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order proposed by the People Friendly Salisbury project."

It adds: "We believe that it has the potential to bring massive benefits to the health and wellbeing of both residents and visitors to Salisbury."

Salisbury Journal:

Benji Goehl said “We were pleased to get 26 signatories, including nine councillors and representatives from 18 different groups on the letter, particularly as we were approaching people over a sunny holiday weekend”.

"Signatories include Salisbury BID, Salisbury Reds, Salisbury Civic Society and the Wiltshire Climate Alliance. There has also been cross party support from Councillors.”

Jimmy Walker said “We asked people for their additional comments and welcomed the many thoughtful contributions which were made. These included information from the recent Webinar involving Atkins, the transport consultants used by Wiltshire Council, which gave good illustrations of other towns where temporary interventions, such as are being proposed for Salisbury, have been successfully implemented.

"This gives confidence that the use of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order has enormous potential to bring benefits to Salisbury and that Atkins have a lot of very relevant experience which inspires confidence in the success of this trial.”

Margaret Willmot added: “Recent consultations have shown strong support for reductions in traffic in the City Centre and making ‘people friendly streets’ which will encourage pedestrians and cyclists and reduce the dominance of the car in the City Centre.

"It will be essential for both phases of the scheme to be rolled out in order to get the full benefits, but testing the ideas by an ETRO seems the best way to see the benefits, to iron out any problems, and to get people’s feedback.”

The letter was signed by: 

  • Cllr Derek Brown OBE
  • Cllr Caroline Corbin     
  • Cllr Tom Corbin            
  • Cllr Brian Dalton          
  • Cllr Matthew Dean
  • Cllr John Farquhar
  • Cllr Sven Hocking         
  • Cllr Mike Osment
  • Cllr John Walsh
  • BID Board Directors, Salisbury Business Improvement District Ltd
  • Andy Birkett, Salisbury Road and Mountain Cycling Club
  • Richard Bolton, Community Rep, Salisbury Air Quality Management Group
  • Hadrian Cook, Chairman, Cycling Opportunities Group Salisbury (COGS)
  • Alex Chutter, Salisbury Reds
  • Louis Devenish, Senior Network Development Manager, Sustrans
  • Peter Dunbar, Salisbury Civic Society
  • Christian Lange, Wiltshire Climate Alliance
  • Caroline Lanyon, Director, Salisbury Community Energy
  • Nicola Lipscombe, Chairman, Salisbury Area Greenspace Partnership
  • Leslie Lipscombe, Salisbury Wildlife Group
  • Amanda Newbury, Knightwood Leisure Ltd
  • Rick Page, Salisbury Green Party           
  • Sarah Prinsloo, Chairman, Salisbury Transition City
  • Alex Raws, Extinction Rebellion
  • Ellen Rodger, Operations Director, Co Cars Ltd
  • Pam Rouquette, Salisbury Walking for Health
  • David Wilson, Transport & Movement theme lead, Salisbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group