New ‘pop-up’ Cardiff cycleway to open on Monday

A new, segregated, ‘pop-up’ cycleway which will run from Cathedral Road to Dumfries Place, will open to the public on Monday, March 15.

The new route is part of the cross-city cycleway. Ongoing works will soon see it extended to the end of Wellington Street, to the west of the city, and to the junction with Broadway on Newport Road, to the east.

Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, Cllr Caro Wild said: “We want to make Cardiff the best cycling city in the UK and we plan to build an integrated cycleway network from the city centre which connects strategic sites and neighbourhoods, as set out in the current adopted LDP.

“In the main, the new routes will be separated from other traffic on the road, making cycling safer, easier and a far better experience. We want cycling to become a more attractive option for both residents, families and visitors, giving people the opportunity to enjoy all the health and fitness benefits it can bring.

“With the restrictions in place due to the ongoing pandemic and sport activities and gyms currently closed, residents across the city are already choosing to walk and cycle as part of their daily exercise.

“There is a real desire for better cycling infrastructure so we are bringing forward our plans to develop cycleways to help people move around the city as the restrictions are eased.”

The new ‘pop-up’ cycleway is built using bolt-down rubber kerb and traffic wands which separate cyclists from other road users. When the permanent scheme is implemented, it will see the entire road redesigned using permanent kerbs to separate the cycleway. Pavements will also be widened for pedestrians.

This new route uses separate traffic signals at each of the junctions for cyclists to use. Motorists and pedestrians will follow different traffic lights. Council staff will be on-street to assist the public when the cycleway opens, while all road users become familiar with the new road layout and arrangements.

This cross-city route will provide key connections to other cycleways in the city, including:

• The recently opened cycleway from Cowbridge Road East to Western Avenue via Sophia Gardens.
• The current cycleway between Stuttgart Strasse & Cathays Terrace, via St Andrews Crescent, St Andrews Place and Senghennydd Road.
• The Taff Trail connecting both the north and south of the city along the river.

Other pop-up cycleways which are currently being worked on, or consulted on, include:

• The cross-city south route – connecting Lloyd George Avenue with Herbert Street and Tyndall Street.
• The Albany Road cycleway connecting the existing cycleway on Wellfield Road, which in time could connect Richmond Road to meet the cross-city route on Newport Road.

All cycleway schemes in Cardiff are subject to public consultation, enabling the council to work with residents and businesses the designs for each route are developed. The council is committed to improving sustainable transport in the city, to make walking and cycling a more viable option for residents and visitors.

The Cathedral Road to Dumfries Place route went through public consultation in February 2020. It forms part of the council’s Transport White Paper, which sets out the city’s transport vision for the next 10 years. Since that initial consultation further engagement has continued as part of the Council’s COVID Recovery Plan and as part of the consultation on the detailed design of the permanent scheme.