More cycle lanes to pop up in city

POP-UP cycle lanes are set to be installed to allow more people to safely travel on some of Cardiff’s busiest roads by bike.

Cardiff council has revealed plans to install two pop-up cycle routes in the city this autumn.

The two routes – the Cross City and Bay Loop cycleways – are being brought forward as part of the council’s ongoing Covid-19 recovery plans.

They will see semi-permanent “bolt-down” kerbs with small plastic upright bollards attached to the road.

If successful they can be kept or replaced with more permanent solutions and they can be altered if necessary.

Caro Wild, cabinet member for transport, said: “Traffic on our roads has reduced dramatically now that a number of businesses and organisations are opting to let their staff remain working from home.

“Current traffic levels are at 66% of pre-lockdown numbers, with the traffic flow in the city centre lower still at 50%.

“While the traffic levels have reduced, the use of the nextbike scheme has increased significantly during lockdown, with over 14,000 new customers, which clocked up an impressive 114,383 rentals from March to June.

“We know there are people new to cycling, including very young people, and we have to do everything in our power to ensure these people are as safe as possible.”

Running west to east, the Cross City route will be installed on Leckwith Road and Wellington Street, joining up to the existing cycleway on Castle Street. The route will then continue along Boulevard de Nantes, onto Dumfries Place, along Newport Road to the junction with Broadway.

The second pop up cycleway, the Bay Loop, will be installed from the Magic Roundabout, down East Tyndall Street, onto Tyndall Street, joining a new cycleway running both down and back up Lloyd George Avenue, joining Callaghan Square and ending on Penarth Road.

These new routes will also link to new park & pedal sites being set up at Cardiff City stadium and Cardiff Bay, allowing people travelling from further afield the option to park their car and walk or cycle the remainder of their journey.

Both of these schemes are currently out to tender and, following engagement with the public, will be installed in September.