People Friendly Salisbury explained: Maps, permits and parking

What is People Friendly Salisbury?

Wiltshire Council say it is an "exciting and ambitious project" to prioritise walking and cycling in the centre of Salisbury.

Pedestrians and cyclists are given priority, and several streets in the city centre are restricted for use by through traffic.

What's happened so far?

The plans were first announced back in May, with the city council saying it wanted to be "bold in its approach to make the city as car free as possible".

Using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), initial plans would have seen the city centre closed to all through-traffic, as the council hoped to promote more cycling, walking and the use of park and rides in the city.

Street parking is to be temporarily suspended on Milford Street, Brown Street, Catherine Street, Fisherton Street, Silver Street, Chipper Lane, Castle Street, Minster Street, and Winchester Street, as well as taxi ranks restricted and speed-limits more heavily enforced.

By the end of July, plans were reduced and it was announced it would come in two phases.

Phase one - which started on October 21 - and phase two, which will come in the spring and summer of 2021, depending on the outcome of and feedback from phase one.

This included a restriction on Mill Road, New Street and Crane Street to stop non-essential access to Churchfields industrial estate, improving the pedestrian link between the city centre and the cathedral; and the closure of the Fisherton Street access to Central Car Park, reducing traffic along Fisherton Street.

Do people in Salisbury support the changes?

The plans have split opinion ever since they were first revealed, with city councillors signing letters both for and against the scheme.

Wiltshire Council responded to criticisms of the project, saying it will bring "a positive change" to the city centre, and that it is "an opportunity to do something different", before the results of the initial survey lead to changes being made.

• The first stage of the scheme would no longer restrict access to the Castle Street entrance to Central Car Park and Chipper Lane and part of Endless Street will be removed from the initial scheme.

The cost of the scheme also divided opinion.

• One city councillor said the cost " beggars belief" , while another said "whatever the cost, the benefits will be invaluable for years to come ."

What are the current changes?

Four months after it was the first announced, the final plans were confirmed.

The scheme will be fully monitored throughout its 18 months, with 47 sensors providing anonymous data on vehicle and pedestrian movements within the Low Traffic Zone (LTZ), on the A36 and at other key points in the city.

The sensors are already in place to help establish some baseline levels of traffic flows and other movements, while the main scheme will begin to be installed on October 20, and be operational from October 21.

Residents and businesses that wish to access the Low Traffic Zone (LTZ) will need to apply for free permits to access the zone.

What's next?

During the next 18 months, further measures may be considered, including minor updates to bus/coach routing, review of the location of taxi ranks, and review of location of loading bays and further time restrictions on loading activities in the city centre.

To have your say on the scheme, click here.

For more information, click here.