New exit opened at Tesco Extra in Salisbury to ease congestion

It is a right turn only exit which takes customers out onto New Petersfinger Road by the park and ride.

A ribbon cutting event was held this morning (Friday August 13) to officially open the second exit, which has taken eight weeks to complete.

The Southampton Road store has suffered from gridlocked traffic for years with customers having to queue for long periods of time, especially during busy periods, to get out of the supermarket car park on to Southampton Road.

Store manager, Shaun Sennett, said: "The work that has been done is to help the ease congestion in the car park and allow our shoppers to shop in Tesco without getting caught up in the gridlock on the way out."

It has taken a number of years for the plans to come to fruition.

In 2016 planning permission for the additional exit - submitted in 2014 - was granted, after a government inspector overturned Wiltshire Council's previous refusal - a decision made due to concerns about the potential creation of a rat-run.

Shaun says he was "ecstatic" to see the project finally completed which has "been in the planning for years", adding: "Customers have always fed back around the car park and their frustrations about finishing their shopping and having to sit in the car park for long periods of time. It will make it so much easier for customers to be able to come and shop with Tesco.

"We have lost customers because knowing you're going to sit in the car park for an hour or half an hour after your shop is not going to invite to want to come back to the shop."

He says the new exit will improve the shopping experience for customers and hopes it will also encourage customers back to the store who have been put off by the previous traffic issues in the car park.

"It will definitely improve the shopping experience," said Shaun. "Customers can come into the car park and easily exit and get home as quickly as they possibly can."

The supermarket has listened to feedback from residents and councillors over the new exit and had site meetings to make sure "it is fit for purpose for everyone".

Shaun says he had already received positive feedback from customers about the new exit, which is 3.5m wide, who are looking forward to being able to use it.

A safety barrier has also been added at the crossing and trees and hedges have been cut back to improve visibility.

"It is really exciting to finally get it done," added Shaun, who also thanked everyone involved in the project, including the Tesco property team and Highways UK.

Shoppers still have to access the store from Southampton Road.

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