SUPPORTERS of the ACT Parker Plan - an all-embracing road scheme aimed at tackling the traffic problems of Salisbury, Stonehenge, Wilton and the Wylye and Bourne valleys - have hailed a breakthrough in their long-running battle to get the project official recognition.

The plan was drawn up three years ago by retired army officer Col Graham Parker and has the wholehearted backing of the Salisbury and district branch of the Association of Council Taxpayers, which has helped fine-tune the scheme.

But, despite widespread public support for the plan, its promoters have had an uphill struggle trying to get local authorities and government agencies to give it serious consideration as an alternative to official congestion-busting road proposals.

Now, following a presentation of the ACT Parker Plan, the cabinet of Salisbury district council has decided - ahead of today's council elections - to press for the scheme to be fully evaluated and looked at alongside official schemes at an expected sequence of public inquiries.

Tory leader of the council Kevin Wren told the Journal this week: "As cabinet members, we feel this alternative plan merits a full and comprehensive appraisal.

"Salisbury district council is merely a consultee in the roads exercise but I think it is right that we should attempt to ensure that the ACT Parker Plan gets a fair hearing."

The move was welcomed by ACT project officer John Ellis, who claimed the Parker Plan would provide a far more satisfactory solution to the area's traffic problems and save nearly £100m in the roads budget.

In a statement, ACT listed a range of benefits it said the scheme would have, including:

the removal of traffic from Stonehenge without resort to a hugely expensive tunnel, and provision of a visitor centre site much nearer to the stones and away from homes;

removal of trunk traffic from the Countess Road area of Amesbury;

solution to traffic problems in the Bourne Valley;

solution to the Wylye Valley A36 problems and reduction in heavy A36 traffic through Wilton;

provision of a cheap eastern bypass for Salisbury;

removal of more than 40 per cent of traffic from Salisbury's Churchill Way, easing access to the city centre;

taking HGVs into the city's Churchfields industrial estate without affecting Harnham or bridging the river;

Provision of direct access to QuinetiQ, Boscombe Down, for tankers, trucks and commuters;

Provision of access (away from homes) to Porton Down if expansions plans proceed.