Green Lane Improvements Completed in Salisbury, Creating Safer Walking and Cycling Route

Improved route between Roman Road and Pearce Way offers better accessibility, lighting and safer crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists.

Improvements to the Green Lane shared-use path in Salisbury have been completed, providing a safer, more accessible and welcoming route for people walking, cycling, wheeling and horse riding.

Wiltshire Council has confirmed that the upgraded route, which runs between Roman Road and Pearce Way, is now open following the completion of a series of improvements designed to make journeys easier and safer.

Approximately 500 metres long, Green Lane provides an important active travel connection between Salisbury and Ford, linking local communities with schools, services and nearby open spaces.

The improvement scheme includes an upgraded path surface, making the route more comfortable and accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users and horse riders. The width of the path has also been increased at key locations to improve accessibility and allow different users to share the space more safely.

New lighting has been installed along the route to improve visibility and give people greater confidence when travelling during darker hours. Around 42 low-level illuminated bollards have been introduced, using warm amber lighting rather than conventional white streetlights to help reduce the impact on local wildlife.

The lighting system also includes smart controls that can dim illumination levels overnight, helping to reduce energy consumption while maintaining visibility for path users.

Further safety improvements have been made at both ends of the route. A new parallel crossing on Pearce Way allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross together more safely, while traffic calming measures on Roman Road have been introduced to help reduce vehicle speeds and improve crossing opportunities.

Environmental protection has been an important consideration throughout the project. Green Lane passes through a known bat commuting corridor and an area protected by Tree Preservation Orders, meaning the improvements needed to balance accessibility and safety with the protection of local wildlife and surrounding vegetation.

To minimise disruption to wildlife, the lighting has been carefully designed to keep illumination levels above the path below 0.5 lux. The low-level bollards direct light towards the route while limiting light spill into nearby vegetation.

The project forms part of the Salisbury Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), supporting Wiltshire Council's wider ambitions to encourage more sustainable travel and provide safer walking and cycling connections across the county.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, said the completion of the improvements was positive news for Salisbury residents and everyone who uses the route.

He said the upgrades had created a safer, more accessible and welcoming environment for people walking, cycling, wheeling and horse riding.

Cllr Smith added that investment in active travel infrastructure would make it easier for people to choose healthier and more sustainable ways to travel, while improving safety and accessibility.

He also highlighted the importance of protecting the surrounding environment, saying the design had carefully balanced improvements to the route with the need to preserve an important wildlife corridor.

The scheme supports the ambitions set out in Our Wiltshire Plan and the council's aim of creating a greener Wiltshire where residents and visitors can travel more confidently and sustainably.

The improvements were funded through a combination of Active Travel England grant funding and developer contributions.