Wiltshire Council offer travel advice for people visiting Salisbury this festive season

With the festive season in full swing and people embarking on their Christmas shopping and other festivities, Salisbury’s medieval city centre is a great place to visit.

To make your visit as easy as possible, Wiltshire Council is encouraging people to travel by bus or make use of the Park and Ride services.

Bus users can travel in and around the city for just £2 for both adults and concessions, reducing congestion in the city centre and removing the worry of finding a parking space. Details of the long distance bus routes that serve Salisbury can be found Salisbury Traffic Management - Wiltshire Council

For drivers looking for a stress-free visit without the hassle of traffic and parking in the city centre, there are five conveniently located Park and Ride sites on the main routes into the city, providing a regular and convenient bus service. Buses run every 30 minutes between Monday to Saturday, parking is free and with return journeys costing £3.50 for adults or £4.50 for a group return (up to four people) it’s an easy way to visit. Additional services are also running on a Saturday in the lead up to Christmas.

There is also a mixture of long and short-stay car parks within walking distance of the city centre. For those wishing to avoid the city centre traffic, and with direct access from the A36, Culver Street is an ideal choice for shoppers, offering 24-hour access, seven days a week, no limit on the maximum stay and more than 400 spaces. With the expected increase in demand for car parking spaces over the Christmas period, the top floor of the car park is open and available for use. Full details on all Salisbury car parks can be found www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parking-salisbury.

Cllr Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Salisbury is a vibrant, modern and beautiful medieval city, featuring sought after shopping destinations such as Bradbeers and Primark, as well as many independent stores including those found on Fisherton Street. With various festive activities on offer, such as the pantomime, the festive markets and Christmas on the Square, we are expecting a busy Christmas period, with many visitors and residents looking to come into the city centre.

“With that in mind, we are encouraging our visitors to take the stress out of their visits, plan their journeys and take full advantage of the transport options available when visiting the city.”

“Our Business Plan seeks to have vibrant, well-connected communities. Salisbury is well on the way to achieving this with multi-million pound investment in the city; the Fisherton Gateway project is now complete and works are also progressing well at Salisbury River Park and Station Forecourt.”