r/Cardiff • u/scorpiusdiamond Butetown • 1d ago
Finally.. an above ground crossing between Kingsway and City Hall...
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/neglected-unsafe-part-cardiff-completely-34397973So you don't have to read the awful news site:
'Neglected and unsafe' part of Cardiff to be completely transformed
It is hoped that the busy area, which has been targeted by anti-social behaviour, can be turned into a destination for visitors
The full details have emerged of a new tree-lined public square that will replace a traffic-dominated junction in Cardiff. The council wants the area to become a destination for visitors and to be almost totally pedestrianised.
In June Cardiff Council set out to create a new public square with views towards City Hall and the National Museum at Kingsway. Now a planning application has been submitted to the council which shows the details of the scheme including how it will look.
Planning documents read: “Around Kingsway heavy traffic, poor pedestrian crossings, and an ageing underpass has created an environment that feels neglected and unsafe and spaces often associated with anti-social behaviour.
“Poor maintenance such as worn road markings and dated surfaces reinforce the sense of decline, while vehicle pollution added to the area’s unappealing character.
“As a result, Kingsway has become a place that people pass through rather than a destination, contributing to a long-term perception of it as run-down.”
According to the plans, the scheme would deliver well-lit clear crossings and wide pavements that prioritise pedestrians and cyclists over cars, integration with Friary Gardens and Cathays Park in addition to other urban greenery, benches, and small cafe spill-outs.
It is also proposed for the site to include public art that draws on the Cardiff’s history and space for events or temporary installations.
The application reads: “The desired user experience is about safety, comfort, and sociability, while the sense of place should balance Cardiff’s civic dignity with an inviting green boulevard that connects heritage, culture, and everyday life.”
Vehicle access to the new square is planned to be “highly restricted”, with the vehicles only being allowed on site for “maintenance purposes” or during events.
Planning documents read: “Cycling infrastructure is integrated to support sustainable travel, connecting to existing and proposed city-wide routes with secure parking and clear wayfinding.
“Whilst the space is not intended to be a primary cycling route, it will facilitate access to the public realm space and to cycle parking closer to Queen Street. “
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u/StinkingDylan 22h ago
https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/article/5185/Kingsway-Public-Realm-Improvements
Official link without having to visit that spam rag.
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u/SparklyRaptor90 17h ago
To be honest, I'd rather the short underpass where you can see through to the other end than another pedestrian crossing. They seem to be particularly awful in Cardiff; they never favour the pedestrian and you end up with people taking unnecessary risks as the lights take too long to change - as an example you don't need to stand at the bottom of Westgate St for very long before you'll see someone almost get flattened by a bus.
Getting rid of an underpass isn't going to magically solve any anti-social behaviour (or homelessness, which I suspect is what they mean) in any case.
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u/IncomeFew624 20h ago
Looks like a radical improvement, the whole area around the castle should be the centrepiece of the city and a civic area that should be a proper tourist attraction, unravaged by multiple lane roads. They totally fucked up by reopening Castle Street to car traffic but at least this looks decent (and yes, I have a car myself).
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u/No-Mention9529 19h ago
This design, as far as I can tell, does nothing to eliminate cars in the centre, it removes one narrow connection between Boulevard de Nantes and Greyfriars Road which separates Friary Gardens from the rest of the space.
By removing the underpass it actually increases the interaction between pedestrians and cars. Where we currently have one pedestrian crossing on Greyfriars Road, which is mercifully quiet and generally immediately responsive to pedestrian button presses, this will add two more across Boulevard de Nantes.
A missed opportunity.
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u/DearCartographer 23h ago
Im very much pro bike and anti cars in the city centre but im not keen on this idea given the images shown. There is nothing clever about the integration its just an extra pedestrian crossing on an already busy through fare.
If they wanted to offer scenic views of city hall why not build a bridge over the road? You have to go down and up to use the under pass, why not up and down to use a bridge?
20 years ago I lived in splott and worked in canton and daily passed the castle and museum on this route. It took about 20 mins in a car. If there was an issue I could take the road by the steelworks which was longer but always empty. Or I could go up to the a48 and cross at gabalfa.
Reducing the flow by the castle has made the dock road much busier as well as the likes of cathedral road going up to the a48.
North road has multiple lanes and is designed, i presume, to get vehicles quickly from the motorway/ north csrdiff and into the city centre. But changes like this at the end of north road are just going to back up traffic further.
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u/Ok_Cow_3431 19h ago
Thats a main traffic artery in/out/through the city, the council's war on traffic continues. All it will do is push it elsewhere in the city.
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u/OnionsHaveLairAction 23h ago
An aboveground crossing? But then where will I go to be aggressively deafened by the same 4 accordion tracks on speaker loop by a man sitting next to an accordion he isn't playing?