WILTON town councillors say starting work on the area's new park-and-ride scheme could signal traffic chaos.

While the Skew Bridge development continues, commuters are already facing long delays.

Following news that the government has released £8.2m to enable work to start on the Avenue park-and-ride site, councillors say that, if workmen moved in, that would mean two of the town's major routes would become totally clogged.

Speaking at last week's Wilton town council meeting, deputy mayor Keith Male said: "We have major projects on two access roads in the town, one currently in operation and the park-and-ride rearing its ugly head.

"I understand that will happen in April.

"They may overlap and we'll be faced with heavy traffic on the Avenue.

"We are facing some grave difficulties.

"I would like Salisbury district council to take responsibility for this and give assurances that traffic works for park-and-ride will not take place until the Skew Bridge work is finished, and if there is an overlap, how long it will be for."

The district council's portfolio holder for environment and transport, Councillor Dennis Brown, said the park-and-ride would not be operational until at least Christmas this year - giving plenty of time to finish the bridge works.

He said: "Everything is in place to build the Wilton park-and-ride.

"I can assure members of Wilton town council that, although the park-and-ride will begin, it will take the best part of the year to complete.

"I gather that the problems the Highways Agency has encountered with Skew Bridge have now been solved."

Mr Brown said it was up to the Highways Agency and the contractors to finish Skew Bridge on time and that the district council had no plans to delay work on the park-and-ride.