WILTSHIRE Council says it is still “early days” for the People Friendly Salisbury scheme, and it needs time to “settle down”, so that people, businesses and visitors can become familiar with how it works.

The scheme came into force on October 21, just over three weeks ago, and has come in for heavy criticism.

Councillor Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Highways, says changes have already been made based on feedback, including improved signage - the signs that were previously posted around the ring roads have now been removed.

Cllr Wayman added: “We have also made changes including monitoring perceived rat runs and traffic speeds, and we will continue to do so throughout the 18 months of the experiment.

“We have heard comments that claim to indicate an increase in traffic on the A36 and on Netherhampton Road.

“However, this is not reflected in the data we have collected so far, which has shown that usage of these roads has remained within its usual range since People Friendly Salisbury started.

“Within the Low Traffic Zone (LTZ), traffic has been reduced by around 50 per cent so far, helping to achieve one of the key objectives of the scheme.”

Council data suggests the number of shoppers visiting the city has remained stable for the weeks the scheme has been implemented, although this data may have been affected by half-term and lockdown.

There is also still more to come from the project, with around £1.3m of enhancements funded by the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP), to further the improve the LTZ and make Salisbury “a more welcoming place for shoppers and visitors”.

These include new bus shelters on Blue Boar Row and New Canal; Shopmobility improvements; hireable ebikes; an electric car club vehicle and charging point, and bicycle maintenance stations, to be placed in the city and the city’s park and ride sites.

There are also parklets set to be installed - which are enhanced public seating areas - as well as bicycle parking; and improved signage to help people find their way around the city.

Cllr Wayman said: “These improvements to the public realm will help to enhance Salisbury as a popular tourist destination, and in turn support the many businesses in the city centre.

“We hope to install many of these enhancements in the new year, to encourage more people into the city centre, to enjoy the space and spend more time there.

“We remain committed to making Salisbury city centre a more attractive place to live, work, visit and shop.”

People can still park in the city centre car parks, as access to all of these remains as it did previously, and Blue Badge holders can apply for a free permit to access the LTZ, the council said.

As part of monitoring the scheme, the council will be gathering evidential data to share publicly. It says it will be regularly sharing a statistics update that details any effects on the A36, traffic numbers in the LTZ and footfall data.

To provide official feedback to Wiltshire Council on the scheme, which could influence its future, go online to wiltshire.gov.uk/tro-consultation-central-salisbury.