LAVERSTOCK and Ford Parish Council has issued a formal response to Wiltshire Council’s plans.

The council says it “welcomes the aspirations” behind the People Friendly Streets Salisbury initiative to “improve the pedestrian and cyclist experience in the city centre and to reduce the number of short car journeys to and across the city centre”.

But it adds that councillors are “concerned” about traffic through the parish.

A statement from the council said: “We are concerned about the possibility that the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order could increase the flow of traffic in some of the already over used roads within the parish.

“In particular, we are concerned that anticipated increased traffic on the A36 could lead to more vehicles diverting on to unsuitable roads within the parish.

“Of particular concern are Milford Mill Road, including the Grade I listed bridge (pictured), Church Road where over two thousand students study in three schools and the narrow country roads in Ford which are already used as a rat run.

“We would urge Wiltshire Council to incorporate these roads in the proposed traffic monitoring systems so that the impact of the ETRO on these communities can be assessed.”

The parish council’s response added: “We would also encourage Wiltshire Council to take this opportunity to consider further steps to prevent HGVs illegally using the protected Milford Bridge and to reduce the use of Milford Mill Road as an access route to Salisbury from the Southampton Road.”