Castle Street in Cardiff to reopen to private traffic from next Sunday

Alex Seabrook, local democracy reporter

Castle Street in Cardiff will reopen to private traffic on Sunday, October 31, about a year and a half after it was closed.

The road was closed in summer last year, before reopening to just buses and taxis last autumn.

Cardiff council announced plans to reopen the road to all traffic this June, after concerns were raised about its closure diverting traffic through residential areas causing pollution.

Reopening Castle Street will coincide with the nearby Westgate Street being closed to through traffic, as a new bus gate will be installed.

The new bus gate will mean Westgate Street can only be used as a through route for buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians. Residents living on the street will be able to drive to their homes from the north. All access to off-street car parks will also be from the north.

Roadworks

Roadworks on Castle Street began at the start of last month to prepare for the road to reopen. The pavement on the southern side of the road was narrowed to allow for a new lane to be put in. The road will still be narrower, however, than before the pandemic.

The controversial decision to reopen the road split public opinion, with many drivers complaining of increased congestion on nearby streets like Cathedral Road, while environmental campaigners called for more space to be given to pedestrians and cyclists.

The bus gate, at the southern end of Westgate Street, will mean anybody driving through in a private vehicle could be fined £75.