Meet the contractor delivering the Fisherton Gateway scheme

Ahead of the construction works commencing on Fisherton Gateway, residents and businesses are being offered the opportunity to meet the contractor delivering the scheme.

Fisherton Gateway is the first scheme coming forward as a result of the £9 million investment in Salisbury City Centre from the government's Future High Streets Fund. It aims to improve the road network and public spaces along South Western Road and Fisherton Street making it easier, safer and more convenient to travel by foot into the city centre, experiencing all this modern medieval city has to offer. It is anticipated that works will start at the end of July 2023 at the earliest and will be completed in Autumn 2024.

The 'Meet the Contractor' public event will be held in the United Reformed Church in Fisherton Street on Tuesday 11 July 2023. Residents, traders and businesses can pop along anytime between 2pm and 7pm to meet the team from Wiltshire Council and Milestone Infrastructure, see the latest plans and find out how the Fisherton Gateway works could affect them.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Wiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: One of our key priorities is to have vibrant, well-connected communities. We know that as people exit Salisbury Railway Station, their first impression of South Western Road and Fisherton Street is rather unwelcoming with narrow pavements and the area dominated by vehicles.

These improvements will include widening pavements where we can, introducing new street lighting, enhancing landscaping, improving street furniture and wayfinding to make it easier for people to navigate their way through the city centre, and introducing continuous footpaths at junctions to provide level crossings and give pedestrians priority.

Notwithstanding the benefits, we recognise the works will cause some disruption to local people and businesses. We would, therefore, encourage local people to attend this event to find out more at an early stage and to ask any questions they may have.

Lewis Cowley, Milestone Infrastructure's Regional Director, said: Milestone is pleased to be working on the Fisherton Gateway project, making the area more accessible for all users.

We're looking forward to the Meet the Contractor event as it's an opportunity to interact with local residents and discuss the work that will be taking place. Milestone's project delivery team will also be at the event and available to speak to people and gather their thoughts on how we can minimise disruption to the community during the period of these works.