Residents and commuters in Cardiff are invited to share their views on a new initiative to enhance six major bus routes into the city centre.
The public consultation will begin on December 9th and run for seven weeks until January 27th, and everyone who lives or travels into Cardiff is encouraged to read about the strategy.
Cllr Dan De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Climate Change, and Transport, stated: “The ‘Bus Priority Infrastructure Plan’ aims to establish a ‘Core Bus Network’ of six key corridors into the city. This will improve bus travel for 80% of passengers, integrating bus travel with rail, light rail, cycling, and walking, and creating a stronger foundation for future transport funding bids. The council has received funding from Welsh Government for the concept designs of the bus corridors, but further funding would be required for the construction.
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, bus travel in Cardiff has decreased and has not fully recovered, with current estimates showing bus patronage is 10-20% lower than pre-pandemic levels. The plan aims to reverse this trend by making bus travel quicker and more reliable through various interventions. It’s important to note that we are not proposing dedicated bus lanes along the entire length of these routes, but rather targeted interventions to make bus travel more attractive for residents and visitors.”
The Six Proposed Bus Corridors:
Ely to the City Centre: Connecting Ely, Trelai, Canton, and Riverside with the city centre. Due to narrow highways, dedicated bus lanes are not feasible, but priority lanes and traffic restrictions will be assessed. Potential interventions include:
o Kerbside controls to prevent pavement parking and bus stop obstructions.
o Reorganising bus stops for safer pedestrian crossings.
o Installing technology at junctions to prioritise buses.
University Hospital for Wales to the International Sports Village: Ensuring vital connections to the University Hospital of Wales, Grangetown, the International Sports Village, and the Vale of Glamorgan. Interventions may include:
o Kerbside controls to prevent obstructions.
o Improvements at key junctions (Albany Road/City Road/Richmond Road/Crwys Road and Newport Road/City Road).
o Technology to prioritise buses and enhance bus stops.
o Potential bus lanes towards the International Sports Village.
City Centre to Newport Road, Cardiff Parkway, and Newport: Serving Pentwyn, Pontprennau, Rumney, and St Mellons. Potential interventions include:
o Bus lanes in specific sections.
o Technology to prioritise buses.
o Junction improvements (Newport Road/Wentloog Road, Newport Road/City Road, Newport Road/Westgrove).
o Kerbside controls to prevent obstructions.
o Relocating bus stops for safer pedestrian crossings.
City Centre to Cardiff Bay: Future-proofing routes to support new developments and existing railway routes. Interventions may include various measures to prioritise bus travel.
City Centre to North Cardiff, RCT, and Caerphilly: Connecting North Cardiff through Gabalfa Roundabout to the city centre, with routes to RCT and Caerphilly. Potential interventions include:
o Assessing Gabalfa Roundabout for bus priority.
o Technology to prioritise buses at junctions.
o Reorganising bus stops.
o Improvements at the Merthyr Road/Caerphilly Road junction.
City Centre to Plasnewydd and Northeast Cardiff: Connecting Plasnewydd and Penylan, providing access to key educational facilities. Potential interventions include:
o Kerbside controls to prevent obstructions.
o Relocating bus stops for safer pedestrian crossings.
o Technology at junctions to prioritise buses.
o Junction improvements (Albany Road/City Road/Richmond Road/Crwys Road and Newport Road/Westgrove).
This plan, developed in consultation with Cardiff Bus, Transport for Wales, and other operators, outlines improvements to make bus travel quicker and more reliable.
Cllr Dan De’Ath added, “Investing in public transport and active travel provides a credible alternative to private car use, offering significant benefits. This includes reducing congestion, improving air quality, and making Cardiff a better place to live and visit. The plan proposes six key bus routes connecting with major interchange points, including the new Bus Interchange, Waungron Station, University Hospital for Wales, and future park & ride sites.”
Complete the short survey here – https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/Your-Council/Have-your-say/Live-Consultations/Bus-priority-strategy/Pages/default.aspx
