Salisbury Coach Park will be closed in the New Year

The construction will see improved lighting, landscaping and wayfinding. There will also be planting of native species and shrubs, plus the creation of a small pocket park to the south of the restaurant. 

A welcome space will also be created close to the new footbridge which will include seating and an information board. A mural is also underway on the toilet block to further improve the area.

New look coach park (Image: Wiltshire Council)Read more: Salisbury River Park Project nears completion

Wiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Transport Councillor Caroline Thomas, said: “I’m really pleased to see the remodelling works are starting in the new year. I’m sure people will agree that the current coach park site does not provide a great first impression for people visiting Salisbury and could have an impact on repeat visits.

"For Salisbury to make the most of the visitor economy and be people’s destination of choice, it is important we provide better facilities for coaches to pick up and set down passengers who visit and wish to experience all this historic medieval city has to offer.

“It therefore made sense for these improvements to be undertaken as part of the Salisbury River Park project and are the last of the big infrastructure activities to be carried out before the project completes next summer.

Once reopened, the coach park will provide six coach spaces in the main coach park for drop off/pick up passengers only. The layover parking will provide a further ten spaces on the Central Car Park, in the area currently occupied by the Environment Agency’s site compound. 

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Cllr  Thomas added: “We recognise that these improvements will cause some disruption to local people and especially the coach drivers. We have chosen to carry out these works at the beginning of the year when statistically fewer coach visitors come to Salisbury.

"We would like to thank everyone in advance for their patience during this time, but it will be worth it in the long run.”

During the period that the coach park is closed, coaches will only be able to pick up or set down passengers at Exeter Street where four free temporary coach parking bays will replace the current car parking area north of Carmelite way.

Coaches can use the existing drop-off bays near the Cathedral on St John's Street but are advised to not set down at any of the city centre bus stops. Civil Enforcement Officers will have instructions to move on any coaches that try to use them. 

Further details about coach parking available in Salisbury during this period will be available shortly on the Connecting Wiltshire website or people can email buses@wiltshire.gov.uk.