WILTSHIRE Council has said it "will consider" reinstating the People Friendly Streets scheme in Salisbury in the new year. 

It comes after Salisbury City Council voted 12-10 in favour of supporting the project at an extraordinary full council meeting last night. 

Councillor Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Highways, said the council is "pleased that Salisbury City Council has debated and agreed a motion on this important scheme", and that it "continues to support it".

She adds that People Friendly Salisbury is a "key part" of the Salisbury Central Area Framework (CAF), a range of projects that aim to deliver an "exciting and vibrant city centre well into the future".

During the extraordinary meeting last night, Cllr Mark McClelland said he would not be supporting the motion, and that he does not "recognise the link between the scheme and the CAF."

Cllr Wayman added: “The scheme is about helping businesses in the city centre, as it reduces through traffic – which adds very little to the local economy – and still allows people to park in the city’s car parks as they currently do.

“The reduction in traffic and improvement in air quality in the centre would make Salisbury a more attractive environment for shoppers, tourists and diners. Studies in other towns and cities in both Britain and Europe have shown that this type of scheme increases footfall and reduces the number of vacant shops, and this is what we want to achieve in Salisbury.

“We will look to revisit this scheme in 2021, and will consider reinstating it with continued support from all stakeholders in the city.”