on April 1, 2019
Cardiff Council are developing proposals for five Cycleways to support and promote cycling for all ages and abilities. The proposed routes will connect communities to major destinations across the city, including the City Centre and Cardiff Bay.
Cycleways will provide continuous routes that are intuitive and comfortable to use and separated from motor vehicles and pedestrians where needed.
The Cycleways will be developed from proposals in the Integrated Network Map which sets out a 15 year plan to improve routes for walking and cycling in the city.
Cardiff Council have now secured Welsh Government funding to develop plans for the cycle route connecting Cardiff Bay to the City Centre. They are now undertaking public consultation on the first phase of this cycle route, which will improve the existing cycle facilities on Lloyd George Avenue.
All the information can be found in the consultation pack, which can be downloaded here
Consultation Response
As part of our March monthly meeting we decided to hold a mini consultation session in order to give our members the chance to draft a collective response to the plans. Once approved these comments will be submitted on behalf of Cardiff Cycle City.
Suggestions of improvements to the scheme include the following:
- The entrances to each side road is too wide, allowing faster turning speed for motor traffic. The turning radius should be reduced.
- The curved kerbs crossing the cycleway indicate visual priority to motors, and should be removed. The cycleway kerb should be continuous across each side road.
- There needs to be a way of preventing cars, delivery/maintenance vans, etc. being driven & parked on the footway/cycleway. This should be done by design rather than enforcement. Suggestions include:
- Bollards across the foot/cycleway
- Planters/flower boxes
- Loading bays on the main carriageway for delivery vehicles and taxi drop-off or pick-up.
- The cycleway needs to be easily distinguishable and separate to the footway, possibly by the use of coloured asphalt rather than paint, particularly at the junctions.
- There should be an induction loop that detects cyclists approaching the toucan crossings on Hemingway Rd and the bottom of Lloyd George Ave, so there’s a chance the light will be green on arrival.
- Given the intention of increasing cycling traffic, thought should be given to how people progress from the cycleway onto James St, Herbert St and across to Bute St.
We would welcome further input, so if you have any suggestions then please let us know by using the comments box below.
You can always respond individually to the consultation by completing the survey here. Responses must be submitted by 12 April
Cardiff Cycle City is run by volunteers. If you have any time or skills that you think would benefit our cause then please get in touch!
I was unfortunately not in the meeting but I have two questions about this;
1. How much is this going to cost ?
2. Is it necessary ?
On point 2: I have used the avenue many times, either on my own or with a cycling group on a tour, and I have never found any problems with it. You can also use the bus lane on the other side, which is perfectly safe.
Aren’t there any other areas of the plan where the money could be better spent ?
Agree with this comment think about Newport Road it provides a vital link to the east with few alternatives but is currently very dangerous and difficult to negotiate for cyclists. The shared pedestrian cycle path on the south edge is not fit for purpose.
Although I agree that it’s one of the better places to ride in Cardiff I don’t think it’s problem free. The barriers at intervals on the cycle lane are a nuisance, strictly speaking you should get off when joining the pedestrians crossing the side roads. You have to be wary of Pedestrians walking in cycle lane especially who go across with looking what’s around. Most cyclists seem to just ride in the Pedestrian area and there’s lots of trees and street furniture which can hide people on foot until the last instant. So I think a well designed designated cycle lane is not a bad idea, and at least there is the room to do this.