A PIONEERING integrated transport system is coming to Salisbury, easing traffic misery on one of the city's busiest roads.

Incorporating Wilton park-and-ride, the radical scheme will combine urban traffic control, real-time bus passenger information and guidance message boards, to help reduce congestion along Wilton Road and ensure park-and-ride passengers get in and out of the city quickly and efficiently.

CCTV systems will monitor traffic flow along the stretch, with control room operators able to tweak traffic light sequences at the touch of a button to avoid major jams.

Park-and-ride buses will also be given priority along the route, although plans to install a dedicated bus lane have been shelved, following engineering problems.

District councillor for the environment and transport Dennis Brown said: "Salisbury is breaking new ground here.

"Although lots of councils have got parts of the integrated transport system, this is the first that's going to link the whole thing together, at a cost of millions."

Building work will start at the Avenue site in early May, when contractor Ashridge Construction moves in, although the scheme will not be operational until Christmas.

The running costs of the park-and-ride scheme will be paid for out of the council's parking revenue account.

Drivers will pay £1.50 to park their cars and will get unlimited travel on park-and-ride buses throughout the day for themselves and up to five passengers.

Money for the park-and-ride facility forms part of SDC's five-year transport plan - the government awarding the authority £21.9m for major transport improvements across the city.

As part of the transport plan, 72 smaller transport schemes have been earmarked for a cash injection, including improvements to New Cut crossroads at Wilton, where work will begin later in the year.

The next park-and-ride site, at Britford, should be operational by April 2005.