How the capital has changed during the pandemic...
CARDIFF has been an area of change and development since the start of the pandemic.
With new buildings, statues and developments, the city is unrecognisable in some places.
For those of us who haven’t been to the city since the start of the Covid pandemic, here are some of the ways that Cardiff has changed since March 2020.
New Betty Campbell statue
The new statue in front of Cardiff’s HMRC building is the first of a real woman in Wales.
It was unveiled on September 29. Since its installation, it has received lots of positive attention, with many people travelling into Cardiff’s Central Square just to take a look.
The 4m-high statue depicts Betty Campbell, Wales’ first black headteacher, who is remembered for putting black culture on the curriculum.
She also championed multiculturalism in her role as Butetown councillor.
The new bus station
Cardiff has been without a bus station for years, but work finally began on the new interchange in December 2019.
Now, the building towers above commuters in Central Square.
Although not yet finished, the new bus interchange is sleek and in keeping with the design of the wider Central Square development.
It is expected to be completed next year and open to commuters by 2023.
This is part of a move away from car-focused travel, with the hope that
Cardiff will become more accessible than ever.
Cycle lanes across the city
Cycle lanes have been appearing all over the city since the start of the pandemic.
It’s all part of a plan to make it easier for commuters to choose active methods of transport.
New cycle lanes include Castle Street, Wellfield Road and Boulevard De Nantes/Stuttgarter Strasse.
In the next few months, more cycle routes will be constructed, with more permanent “Cycle Superhighways” currently in consultation periods with Cardiff council.
Central Square
The Central Square development has been going on for several years, but over the past year, changes have become more noticeable.
In addition to the new Betty Campbell statue and new bus station, Central Square has also seen major structural changes.
The new HMRC building was completed early last year, but work is still
ongoing in the area. The roads surrounding Central Square are undergoing work to prepare for the opening of the new bus interchange, and make room for a segregated cycleway.
Brains Brewery
The historic former SA Brain & Co brewhouse is to be turned into offices, bars and restaurants.
The old building has been demolished and is currently a building site.
The iconic Brains chimney is to remain part of the Cardiff skyline, with development of the rest of the site imminent.
The site is part of the Central Quay development, which could be extended to 14 acres by bringing in land owned by Network Rail immediately south of Cardiff Central station.
Castle Street
Castle Street was closed to cars in June 2020.
Since then, a segregated cycleway has been installed, along with a wider pavement and additional bike parking.
The road is accessible only to buses, taxis and delivery vehicles.
The aim of these changes was originally to accommodate social-distancing measures, as well as developing Cardiff ’s active travel network.
Since the changes, there has been much debate about whether to reopen the main road to private vehicles.
Work is currently under way to create the new road layout, which is expected to be completed by the end of October.
Cardiff University buildings
Cardiff University has also been busy during the pandemic.
As well as organising socially distanced lectures and blended learning, the university has been working on several new buildings.
The two most obvious buildings are the Centre for Student Life on Park Place and the Abacws building on Senghenydd Road.
The £50m Centre for Student Life is located in front of the university’s existing Student Union building.
It features a modern look and is the home of several support services for students, as well as cafes and student workspace.
The £39m Abacws building is Cardiff University’s new mathematics and computer science centre, and is not yet open. It can be seen next to Cathays train station.
Wellfield Road
Wellfield Road is one of Cardiff’s bestknown streets.
Located in the Roath area of the city, the road is filled with local restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques.
In the past 18 months, the road has been subject to much change.
Now a one-way street, parking provision was removed last year. There is now a segregated cycleway which has sparked debate among some locals.
There have been a number of new businesses moving to the area. Greek restaurant Yamas is the latest addition to the busy road.
Diners can now sit along the road alfresco style, with many businesses taking advantage of this during periods of tighter coronavirus restrictions last year.