Active travel campaigners are supporting Wiltshire Council’s proposal to introduce a cycle contraflow on Coldharbour Lane and Meadow Road to permit cyclists to ride in both directions. By unlocking these vital links in St. Paul’s Ward, we can make everyday journeys safer, more sustainable, and far more direct for our community cyclists. However, we need you to support the proposal.
You can view the plans at wiltshire.traffweb.app by searching under “schemes.”
Please send your support for the proposal to trafficorderconsultations@wiltshire.gov.uk by 26th October 2026 quoting reference HKB/TRO/SALS.
Overview of the Proposal
Wiltshire Council is progressing a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to allow two-way cycle on stretches currently restricted to a one-way south-easterly flow for general motor traffic:
- Coldharbour Lane: Between Ashley Road and Meadow Road.
- Meadow Road: Between Coldharbour Lane and York Road.
The proposal will legally permit cyclists to ride in the opposite, north-westerly direction. The scheme will use DfT-approved signage, clear road markings, and smart parking management to seamlessly blend with local streets.
Why This Matters: Key Benefits
- Enhanced Safety: Gives school children and families a legal, dedicated route, ending the dangerous dilemma of cycling the wrong way against traffic or dodging pedestrians on narrow pavements.
- True Directness: Eliminates frustrating, long, and hilly detours around choking traffic arteries like Devizes Road, weaving a truly coherent neighborhood network.
- A Real Modal Shift: Makes active travel an attractive, stress-free choice for short local trips, helping slash congestion and clean up our air quality.
- Navigating Challenges: While narrow sections and on-street parking require careful management and strict parking enforcement, these are easily solved hurdles for a high-impact scheme.
Opening Doors to Our Local Schools
Though Coldharbour Lane is a quiet residential pocket near Salisbury railway station, this contraflow acts as a golden key for students heading to nearby education hubs:
- Sarum St Paul’s CofE Primary School: Just 0.2 miles away on Devizes Road.
- South Wilts Grammar School: A short 0.4-mile transit on Stratford Road.
- Salisbury Manor Fields Primary School: Boosting connectivity for families coming from the west of the station.
- Wider City-Centre Access: Seamlessly linking into safe corridors leading toward Bishop Wordsworth’s, Wyvern St Edmund’s, and city-centre colleges.
Grounded in National Best Practice
This scheme isn’t just common sense—it is fully backed by gold-standard government guidance:
- LTN 1/20: The DfT’s statutory benchmark prioritizing network coherence, safety, and directness.
- Gear Change: The national strategy explicitly calling for the retrofitting of one-way streets with cycle contraflows.
- Traffic Signs Manual: Providing the trusted legal and visual frameworks for successful TRO rollouts.
Overall, this low-cost, high-impact intervention is a massive win for Salisbury. It’s a practical, street-friendly upgrade that puts people first and campaigners support it every step of the way!
Want to see the plans? You can view the draft order, maps, and the Council’s reasons for the proposal online at wiltshire.traffweb.app by searching under “schemes.”
Please have your say by commenting on the proposal, you must explain why. Send your supporting comments by 26th October 2026 quoting reference HKB/TRO/SALS.
You can send them by:
Post: Highways Assets and Commissioning.
Email: trafficorderconsultations@wiltshire.gov.uk
Website: wiltshire.traffweb.app
