£23 million investment announced to improve Salisbury’s A36
National Highways will begin work on traffic flow improvements early next year
National Highways has announced a £23 million package of improvements for the A36 through Salisbury, with work starting early next year.
The first stage of the six-year investment starts on 19th January 2026 and will focus on installing modern adaptive traffic signals at the Castle and St Mark’s roundabouts.
These new systems will replace the current 32-year-old traffic lights, which are no longer fit for purpose, and will adjust dynamically based on vehicle flow rather than operating on a timer.
St Paul’s roundabout is set to receive similar upgrades in early summer.
The project aims to improve traffic flow through Salisbury, which is a key link between the south coast, Bristol, Bath, and London.
It carries an average of 33,500 vehicles daily between the College and St Mark’s roundabouts. Alongside the adaptive signal upgrades, future works under the plan include resurfacing, pedestrian crossing improvements, bridge repairs, improved road markings, and the replacement and removal of footbridges.
Planned upgrades for Salisbury
National Highways has outlined several other improvements along the strategic route over the next six years. Planned works include:
- Resurfacing of Castle and St Paul’s roundabouts and Wilton road
- Strengthening of the Maltings access bridge
- Repairs to the Avon River bridge
- Upgrade of Southampton Road pedestrian crossing
- Replacement of the Victoria Road footbridge to improve accessibility
- Removal of the Wyndham Road footbridge, with alternative options being explored
The most significant activities have been scheduled to avoid clashing with Salisbury’s 800th Royal Charter celebrations in 2027, so as not to disrupt this major local milestone.
A long-term solution for Salisbury
Chris Hilldrup, National Highways Route Manager, explained the importance of the project: “The A36 is the main arterial route through Salisbury – carrying an average of 33,500 vehicles a day between the College and St Mark’s roundabouts – and helps connect the south coast with Bristol, Bath, and London.
“Given insurmountable limitations on constructing a bypass for the city, it’s vital that we continue to maintain and improve the route, both for the economy, the travelling public, and local communities.
“As part of this investment we’re carrying out a number of schemes which will reduce congestion, improve safety, create more reliable journey times and ultimately support Salisbury’s long-term economic growth.”
The first phase of the traffic signal work will take 11 weeks to complete, the second upgrade at the St Paul’s roundabout will be carried out between 1 June and 27 July, followed by essential resurfacing work at the Castle and St Paul’s roundabouts and Wilton road between 14 and 31 July.
For safety reasons, single lane and full lane closures will be operated during the day and overnight, with clearly signed diversions in place.