TRAFFIC on one of Salisbury’s busiest stretches of road is the focus of a new study being commissioned by Highways England (HE).

The agency wants to “identify, develop and test some potential options ... to ease some of the pressure” along the heavily congested Southampton Road.

Rachel Sandy, the HE manager covering Wiltshire, told a meeting of Wiltshire Council’s Salisbury area board on Thursday the study would identify improvements that could be paid for with section 106 funding from developers.

She assured Alan Hotchkiss, of the Milford Preservation Group, that the study would take into account the “endless increase” in shops along Southampton Road.

Resident Greg Condliffe said the “real highways challenge in Salisbury” was separating local traffic from through traffic, and gave examples of road systems in Shanghai.

“If you keep traffic moving the air quality will improve,” he said.

Councillor Ricky Rogers said: “There must be some innovation that will somehow help traffic flow”.

Cllr Ian Tomes said HE weakened arguments against new retail developments on Southampton Road by offering no objections or comments on applications in Southampton Road, despite existing traffic problems.

The meeting also heard about new South West Peninsula route strategy, a wider plan covering the A36 and A303 that will help inform the government’s road investment plans until 2025.

Richard Ormerod from HE told the meeting the strategy, to be completed by April, would consider “the future role of the A36 as the strategic route between Southampton and Bristol... as well as the particular air quality issues in Salisbury”.

HE will return to the area board later in the year when the studies have progressed.

It is also working with Wiltshire Council on the Salisbury Transport Strategy