Growing the local economy here in South Wiltshire requires more than boosting skills. We need to secure new investment in roads, rail and telecommunications to make sure our city, towns and villages are equipped to support economic growth. I am pleased that the A303 Stonehenge scheme is moving forwards in the planning process, with construction due to begin in 2021. This will be a major national infrastructure project to boost journey times to the South West, and will also alleviate congestion in the villages around Stonehenge and on the A303 itself.

I remain concerned about growing congestion on Salisbury’s roads – particularly the A36. I have met with the Department for Transport and Highways England, to prioritise tackling bottlenecks, especially on Southampton Road. Over the past year, I have also worked with Highways England to discuss key issues relating to the strategic road network in South Wiltshire. With other regional MPs and local authorities, I have been active in pushing for the A36 to be included in the Department for Transport’s RIS2 funding round.

I know that this is a very important issue for Salisbury constituents and will continue to campaign to improve transport in South Wiltshire.