small buses for round city transport

Local bus services are a vital part of Salisbury’s community infrastructure and improved bus services are important to the city

It must be recognised that many Salisbury residents are reliant on the local bus services. In summary:

  • The elderly (women make 30% more bus journey’s than men and so are more reliant on bus services), disabled, and young people rely on buses as their primary mode of transport and bus use improves the lives of residents and reduces loneliness and isolation.
  • 20% of Salisbury residents are over 65 [nationally 35% of over 65’s do not drive]. 
  • 18% of residents are children and adolescents who rely on buses
  • 18% of residents are classified as disabled under the Equality Act [nationally 65% of disabled adults do not drive].
  • Bemerton West and South, and St Martin Central are among the 20% most deprived areas nationally.
  • 18% of households across Salisbury (26% of residents in Bemerton, 33% in  Edmunds/Milford and 32% in St Pauls) lack access to/don’t own a car or van.
  • Assist residents without cars to reach Salisbury district hospitals, schools e.g. Laverstock school campus), shops, and council and police offices e.g. (Bourne Hill).
  • Provide an affordable transport system that reduces financial barriers to employment and education.
  • Salisbury bus drivers are the eyes and ears of their community and their relationship with users is personal, friendly and caring.

There are significant environmental benefits from using buses including:

  • Buses produce fewer emissions per passenger than private cars which is important in a historical city like Salisbury where the streets are narrow when implementing strategies to improve air quality.
  • Increasing the number of buses and service frequency results in fewer cars on Salisbury road which decreases bus delays, traffic congestion and noise pollution which are an everyday occurrence due to the number of private vehicles rat running the through Salisbury city.
  • Buses result in a joined up transport system, especially when integrated with cycling and walking routes in and around Salisbury.

Buses make a significant financial contribution to Salisbury by:

  • Increasing footfall in Salisbury by transporting commuters, shoppers and tourists who may otherwise drive else where if they were travelling by private cars.
  • Supporting access to and from Salisbury charter market on a Tuesday and Saturday when parking spaces are at a premium.
  • Enabling residents to access jobs as well providing employment opportunities as drivers and other service staff.

Salisbury Reds provides services across Salisbury and to outlying villages including Amesbury, Andover, Tidworth, Marlborough and Devizes. 1

The fares of participating operators are capped at £3.00 which is capped to March 2027.

Buses are currently every 30 minutes to and from the city centre for residential areas.

In 2019 Salisbury Reds received an overall rating of 92 per cent for its customer satisfaction from watchdog Transport Focus after customers were asked to rate the convenience, punctuality, service, comfort and condition of both the vehicle and the shelter.  66% of customers were very satisfied with the bus service.

The number of electric buses coming to Salisbury has risen to 30 in 2026 due to additional funding being secured – this has also been supported by a £1m investment by Wiltshire Council, in addition to the Government funding and the services will include connections to Stonehenge, the Park and Ride sites and to Larkhill.

Since the redevelopment of the station forecourt a number of buses now stop within the station forecourt. These include the Bournemouth (X3) and Larkhill (X4) service. The Porton service can also be boarded within the station forecourt (X66). It is vital that the northern entrance to the rail station is opened to enable access for bus users from Fisherton St. Improvements could be made to the bus stop on the western side of the railway bridge by setting it back into the embankment with a direct route to the northern entrance. All buses along Fisherton Street stop there so greatly increasing bus access avoiding walking on the narrow pavement under the bridge. Alternatively provide a suitable stop on Windsor Road.  There is already a light-controlled crossing for the return direction. 

The Stonehenge tour departs from the train station and a local Reds service (X2 – does not leave from the train station) can also be used to reach Stonehenge.

Do all buses have to go through the city centre?  It has been suggested that an hourly bus from Wilton P & R via Quidhampton, Netherhampton, and Harnham to the hospital would serve a lot of people from the west and Harnham without having to change buses in the city centre.

Having a bus route through the central car park/Maltings from Fisherton Street to Castle St. would enable more streets to be pedestrianised such as Silver Street and Minster Street. (An old suggestion that has never be implemented.

In addition there is a lack of a local bus service to the Leisure centre including the outpatient physiotherapy unit.  Currently patients who are bus users are feeling cut off from the leisure centre. A service that stops on Ashley road would be welcomed.

Case study to enable under 22’s to travel more cheaply

In Scotland under 22’s can travel for free  on the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. 2 Such models should be investigated and implemented in Wiltshire.

Advantages of local buses: Buses are every 30 minutes and buses can be tracked on  the Salisbury Reds App enabling you to search your location, your stop, and check real-time departure times.

Disadvantages:

There is no bus users group/forum in Salisbury.

For children over 7 years of age the current fare cap is £3 per single journey.

There is no family group ticket

Many residents feel that the 30 minutes schedule is too infrequent. 

Due to traffic congestion, particularly at peak times buses are often delayed and held up in traffic congestion due to the lack of traffic controls, bus lanes and “or bus gates and bus priority signals.

There are very few cycle stands at bus stops.

A number of residents do not have access to smart phones to view real-time bus information.

Many bus stops do not have an real time information display boards and so users are not provided with real-time information.

There are a lack of bus shelters so users are exposed to inclement weather.

Users suffer when there are service cancellations, whether due to driver or vehicle shortages, or late running of an incoming service and have previously been abandoned by the roadside.

The vast majority of routes do not go through the city centre but terminate and originate there. As such users need to catch 2 buses to reach their destination and as a consequence you have people catching a bus to shop at outlying towns such as Ringwood as they can catch a direct bus rather than having  to use two buses to enter the city centre.

There are only a limited number of buses stopping at the rail station resulting in users having to catch two buses e.g. into the city centre and then onto the rail station.

There is currently a lack of service buses to the Five Rivers leisure centre, including  the outpatient physiotherapy unit.

Wheelchair spaces have smooth flooring resulting in wheelchairs moving around.

There are only a limited number of cycle parking stands at bus stops – Scottish studies have demonstrated that bus stops with cycle parking have the benefit of assisting and supporting both the first and last mile connectivity. 3 By identifying bus stops where cycle stands could be located young people gained independence for access to public transport. Residents with reduced mobility find cycling a more accessible option, parents can cycle with children to school then continue on their own journey and everyone benefits from more active and sustainable travel. However, such advantages will only result where there are high quality cycle path links from homes to bus routes. 

Folding bikes are allowed on local buses. In Scotland a number of services allow commuters and tourists to take their bikes on popular Highland bus routes has been extended to a wider range of routes (201/202 (Aberdeen to Braemar) and 35/X35 services (Aberdeen to Elgin), perfect for hopping on and off the National Cycle Network!).

Electric folding bikes, including Brompton’s (reputable British folding bike, some of which have batteries) are currently banned from Reds buses.

In Wiltshire Bike on Buses would provide integrating cycling and public transport, making it easier for passengers to combine bike rides with bus journeys to and from the New Forest, Stonehenge and Avebury as well as on and off the local sections of the National Cycle Network.   

What the Salisbury bus users forum would like to see:

Investigate ways to

  • Form a bus users group/forum for Salisbury
  • Enable under 22’s to travel for free 
  • Enable a family ticket to be available
  • Enable a through bus ticket for a journey across Salisbury where more than one bus is required.
  • Reinstate concessionary fare for bus pass holders before 0930am
  • Implement training for drivers on accessibility to assist those with disabilities
  • Improve wheelchair access and wheelchair space e.g. tactile flooring to stop wheelchairs sliding   
  • Increase the frequency of the local bus services to and from the city.
  • Increase the number of cycle stands at bus stops in and around the city
  • Increase the number of electronic bus information displays around the city
  • Increase the number of bus shelters at bus stops to ensure users are protected from the weather
  • Increase the number of buses stopping at Salisbury Rail station
  • Opening the northern entrance at the station so bus users have direct access to the station
  • Accommodate more bus lanes on the arterial roads in and out of Salisbury
  • Create a non-smooth flooring to prevent wheelchairs moving around
  • Market bus users apps and the Reds App to increase uptake and usage
  • Re-opening the northern entrance at the railway station is key for station access

Ongoing activities:

Discussion have taken place with:

  1. Rebecca Lockwood Norris, National Bus Strategy Manager, Passenger Transport, Highways and Transport. The recommendations above have been noted (December 2025).
  2. Discussion ongoing with the Disability Interest Group Salisbury (DIGS) to  discuss and ensure the requirements for those with disabilities using buses are included (November 2025).
  3. Discussions ongoing to form a Salisbury Bus Users Group (December 2025).

Citations:

1.       Salisbury Reds – Buses across Salisbury. https://www.salisburyreds.co.uk/.

2.       Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme | Scottish Citylink. Citylink http://www.citylink.co.uk/travelling-with-citylink/young-persons-scheme/.

3.       Cycle storage projects across the country set to help more people to travel by bike. cycling.scot https://cycling.scot/news/cycle-storage-projects-across-the-country-set-to-help-more-people-to-travel-by-bike.