A GOVERNMENT-BACKED plan for ridding Salisbury of its crippling traffic problems was thrown into doubt this week, after it was revealed funds are drying up.

The award of the contract to build the new park-and-ride site at Wilton has already been put on hold and there are fears that the Salisbury transport plan, aimed at breaking the traffic deadlock by 2006, might not now be fully implemented.

The government threw its weight behind the traffic plan - five park-and-ride sites and a package of other congestion-busting measures - after cancelling the controversial Salisbury bypass in 1997.

Its office for the south-west costed the "off road" elements of the package, which include the park-and-ride sites but excludes the proposed Harnham and Wylye Valley relief roads, at £13.7m - and pledged full funding over a five-year period.

But that was in 1998-97, and escalating construction costs have now pushed the probable cost up to near the £20m - leaving a shortfall of £6m.

Wiltshire county and Salisbury district council, responsible for implementing the plan, have asked the government office for the additional money - but have been told a re-evaluation of costs must be done before any decision is made on more funding.

It is expected ministers will take the decision in October. But meantime, Wiltshire county council announced this week that it had deferred awarding the contract for the Wilton park-and-ride scheme - the area's second park-and-ride venture, which it was hoped to start towards the end of next year.

However, it said projects already in progress this year, including real-time bus passenger information and a new computerised traffic management system would proceed. Salisbury district council environment and transport portfolio holder Dennis Brown told the Journal that he felt "frustrated and disappointed" at the government's decision to re-evaluate the scheme.

"Everything is programmed - it is clear that extra money is required and they should find it for us," he said.

Mr Brown said the traffic plan would not work unless there was a network of park-and-ride sites dotted around the city, and the district and county councils hoped to proceed with sites at Wilton and on the Downton road next year - followed by others on the Southampton and London roads.

"To stop now would be a waste of all the money that has already been spent," he said.

Wiltshire county council cabinet member for the environment Fleur de Rhe Philipe said: "We shall be pressing ministers for early decisions on funding to allow us to go ahead with the rest of the plan.

"The projects in and around Salisbury are vital to easing the city's traffic problem."