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'Win-win' for residents as works on key route begin

Holly RattleyWiltshire
Jimmy Walker A group of cyclists wearing hi vis and helmets cycling through Salisbury high street with shops either side of them, some large scaffolding and a large stone arch - High Street Gate - and spires in the background.Jimmy Walker
The Cycling Opportunities Group for Salisbury (COGS) was formed in 1994 to support the needs of cyclists in South Wiltshire

Work is set to begin to make a city route safer and more accessible for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Wiltshire Council said Green Lane in Salisbury, Wiltshire - located between Roman Road and Pearce Way - will be improved with resurfacing, street lighting, a parallel crossing, and traffic calming measures.

It forms part of the city's Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) which is aimed at getting people to be more physically active as a way of promoting health and improving air quality.

Dr Jimmy Walker, member of the Cycling Opportunities Group for Salisbury (COGS), said it was a "major win-win for all of the residents of Salisbury".

Jimmy Walker A man with a grey and black beard, glasses, blue jumper and a large brown felt hat looking straight down the camera lens with trees and sky in the background.Jimmy Walker
Dr Jimmy Walker said the improvements will "break down the barriers" for people not currently using the route

Walker, who has been a member of COGS for 30 years, said the lane is "very bumpy" and, if families from homes on the estates at Longhedge and Old Sarum are to be encouraged to use the route, it must be made "as safe as possible".

"It will make a difference not only for cyclists but for those who walk, those in mobility chairs, and those on scooters…it's going to give them more confidence," Walker added.

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The council's active travel scheme is funded through a combination of Active Travel England (ATE) grant funding and developer contributions.

Wiltshire was awarded £375,000 by ATE in April 2024. The county was also given an extra £3.1m from the government in December 2025 to improve walking, cycling and wheeling routes.

Wiltshire Council An uneven lane surface with puddles on it with trees and fencing either side and a stormy-looking sky in the background.Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council hopes improvements to Green Lane in Salisbury will encourage local people to make active travel a "realistic and attractive" choice

The council said the Green Lane works will be carried out in four main phases to minimise disruption. Warning signs and diversion routes will be in place where closures are required.

Cabinet Member for Wiltshire's Highways, Councillor Martin Smith, said improving safety and access will help "make active travel a realistic and attractive choice".

"Projects like this support the ambitions set out in our Wiltshire Plan, by promoting low-carbon travel and improving road safety as part of a greener Wiltshire where everyone can travel confidently and sustainably," he added.

The work is expected to last until October.

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