Could the Brown Street and Exeter Street cycle routes be removed?
Wiltshire Council retrospectively asked people what they thought about the Salisbury scheme
A number of new cycle lanes were installed by Wiltshire Council in the summer of 2020, funded by the Department of Transport.
They included routes along the length of Brown Street and Exeter Street, with bollards put up to protect cyclists from traffic.
The Government funding was aimed at encouraging sustainable transport during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
But the route has proved controversial throughout, with the results of a public consultation showing 49% of respondents were in favour of the cycle lanes.
51% oppose the scheme, and Wiltshire Council say they'll now 'consider removing' it.
A final decision will be made within weeks, as Councillor Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for highways explains:
"I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to take part in our consultation on these schemes. We were instructed by the DfT to install the tranche one schemes without consultation, but it was important that we received feedback on these cycling lanes, even after they had been installed.
"The decision on these schemes now has to go through the formal process, but if approved, we will consider removing the Brown Street and Exeter Street schemes in the week commencing 1st March - though this would be dependent on both the formal decision not being 'called in' by councillors and the weather during that week, as we would need to do some line painting to reinstate parking spaces."
DOWNTON ROAD SCHEME MIGHT NOT HAPPEN EITHER
Within the same public consultation, we were asked for our thoughts on some other cycle routes across Wiltshire.
That included a possible route for Downton Road in Salisbury, between the Britford park and ride site and New Bridge Road.
The scheme got 60% support, and 40% of respondents opposing it.
However, Wiltshire Council say they didn't get as much Department for Transport funding as they asked for, so they can't take all the suggested schemes forward at this stage.
The authority received £681,000 of the £908,000 it had applied for.
Routes for Melksham and Chippenham were better supported in the survey, so they'll be taken forward first.
But they have said that schemes like the Downton Road one, which are supported by the public, 'may be progressed in the future, if funding is available'.