Debate over Salisbury Bypass rumbles on

On Saturday, MP for Salisbury John Glen said "radical solutions such as a bypass must be considered". 

At a full city council meeting on March 8, the city council voted to oppose calls for a relief road or bypass as part of its response to Wiltshire Council's Local Plan review.

'Looking at road solution'

Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Waste, says Highways England "will be looking at a road solution" for the area.

Cllr Wayman said: "Highways England (HE) is undertaking a study of north south routes from the south coast to M4 and beyond. Naturally they are likely to be looking at a road solution.

"The Western Gateway Sub-national Transport Body (WGSTB) is also doing a multi-modal study on all transport corridors throughout the Western Gateway area (taking into account regional and national considerations).

"Both HE and WGSTB are aware of the impact of Southampton and the recent announcement of the Solent Freeport may have on freight movements and will be taking those into account amongst other impacts from outside the Western Gateway area."

Cllr Wayman shared Mr Glen's ambition for increasing the amount of walking and cycling in the city centre.

She said: "If more local residents could do this, it might help alleviate some of the traffic on the A36, not to mention improve health and wellbeing.

"Obviously, if someone is going out to do a weekly shop you would want to use your car, but other journeys that can be accomplished on foot or on a bike might be considered.

"We should not forget the Park & Ride sites and we should continue to encourage people from outside the City to use them to come in for work or for shopping and leisure activities.

"Again, this should help alleviate congestion on Salisbury’s roads.” 

'Groundswell of opinion'

Dr Mark McClelland, city councillor for St Francis and Stratford, says this is an issue that is “growing in importance”. 

Cllr McClelland launched an online petition calling for a bypass, which has more than 2,000 signatures. 

He said: "This is an issue that is growing in importance and there is a groundswell of opinion calling for change and recognition that the status quo for our road network is not an option.

"There are very strong views on this issue - both for and against a bypass, and also among those who support a bypass, the route it should take.

"But now is not the time to put all our eggs in one basket on a specific route.

"Instead, we need to be focussed on building support for a bypass in principle and lobbying Highways England to undertake an assessment of all potential routes and solutions following the major strategic study currently underway looking at our road network.

"With local elections looming in May, it is very important that Salisbury has councillors in place who understand the strategic importance of this issue for our city’s future and can drive this agenda forward after the election.”

'Bypass would be a disaster'

At the council meeting, Labour councillor for St. Martin's & Cathedral, Ian Tomes, said a bypass is "a complete red herring". 

He added: “We should exhaust all other options on the Southampton Road before we even think about a bypass, and we haven’t done that yet.

“A bypass around Harnham would be devastating for Harnham.

"If you built it where people perceive it might well go, there would be excess roads onto it, you’d probably have a slip road up to the hospital, which might incorporate a junction from Blandford Road.

"You would have a ring of tarmac around Harnham and you’d have huge amounts of development."

Cllr Tomes said one "only needs to look at Dorchester, Chippenham or Blandford to see what’s happening in those places".

Cllr Jeremy Nettle also said he does not think a bypass "in our back yard is the way forward”.

What do you think? Get in touch.

Get more Salisbury news and nominate your local heroes for the South Wiltshire Hero Awards.

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date.

If you want online news with fewer ads, unlimited access and reader rewards - plus a chance to support our local journalism - find out more about registering or a digital subscription.

Email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk with your comments, pictures, letters and news stories.