15 Sep 2024
Plans have been revealed for a brand-new tramway from Cardiff Central railway station to Cardiff Bay, connecting the two directly by rail for the first time.
The first phase of Cardiff Crossrail, which is being delivered by Cardiff Council and Transport for Wales (TfW), will significantly improve the railway network between the city centre and Cardiff Bay, benefiting the wider city and region.
Members of the public are being invited to share their views as part of a 6-week consultation which runs from today (16 September) to 27 October 2024. The consultation is available on: haveyoursay.tfw.wales/cardiff-crossrail
The scheme will deliver a new two-platform station located in the southern car park of Cardiff Central railway station, with easy interchange at the station. The proposed new tramway will run from the current southern car park at Cardiff Central station, crossing through Callaghan Square to join the existing Cardiff Bay line and onto Cardiff Bay.
A third platform will be built at Cardiff Bay railway station as part of the scheme, which is in addition to the second platform already being built as part of the ongoing transformation of the Cardiff Bay line, through the South Wales Metro.
Cardiff Council and TfW are looking for feedback on the proposed designs of the new tramway proposals. Views and ideas are also welcome on improvements to public spaces on the route to connect neighbouring communities, places and attractions.
Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport at Cardiff Council said: “The Cardiff Crossrail project has been a long-held ambition for a long time and when fully complete will connect some of the most deprived communities in Cardiff to the railway network for the first time.
“Subject to funding, the Cardiff Crossrail will eventually run from the northwest of the city, all the way to the east of the city connecting with the proposed Parkway railway station.
“To start this process, the first phase of the scheme must be built between Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay. This will finally ensure that Butetown is properly connected to the city centre, through the new tramway, providing further capacity for residents and visitors to access the wide range of attractions that Cardiff has to offer. We want the public to engage in the consultation process, so they can give their feedback on the very first phase of this exciting project.”
Dan Tipper, TfW’s Chief Infrastructure Officer, said: “Today, in partnership with Cardiff Council, we’ve shared exciting plans for the delivery of a brand-new tramway between Cardiff Central station and Cardiff Bay station. These plans align with work already underway to build a new track on the Cardiff Bay line, which will allow faster and more frequent services using brand-new tram-trains.
“Our ambition is that the new tramway will contribute towards a more sustainable transport network for Cardiff, encouraging more people to leave their cars at home and instead choose more sustainable ways to travel.
“We want to hear as many thoughts, opinions and questions on the proposals as possible, which will help to inform key decisions on the scheme. Contributions from our communities will help to shape this project so we can deliver a public tramway that people are proud of.”
A series of drop-in events will give members of the public opportunities to talk to the teams involved and learn more and ask questions about the proposals.
Notes to editors
Cardiff Council and TfW will be hosting a media call on Monday 16 September between 10-11am at Cardiff Bay rail station as an opportunity for interviews. Please note, the station’s platform is currently only accessible from the Bute Street side of the station. Please contact james.williams@tfw.wales if you have any questions.
Please note, images shared are for illustrative purposes only and may change as designs progress. The delivery of Cardiff Crossrail Phase 1A (Cardiff Central station to Cardiff Bay station) is subject to business case approval, a future Transport and Works Act Order, Traffic Regulation Orders and funding availability.
The consultation is available on: haveyoursay.tfw.wales/cardiff-crossrail. The online platform contains further information on the proposed tramway, including visuals and a virtual fly-through which show what the scheme could look like. The public can also find details of the public drop-ins which will take place throughout the consultation period, which will be an opportunity to find out more and ask questions about the scheme. The online survey will be open until 11:59pm on 27 October.
Cardiff Crossrail phase 1 is part of the wider Cardiff Crossrail vision presented in the Transport White Paper, published by Cardiff Council in July 2019. The paper outlines an ambitious 10-year vision for transport in the capital city.
The scheme is fully aligned with the South Wales Metro aspirations. It’ll align with work already underway to build a new track on the Cardiff Bay line to allow faster and more frequent services using brand new tram-trains.
To enable the implementation of the first phase of Cardiff Crossrail, there’ll be changes to the road layout on Callaghan Square and traffic routing in the area. There’ll also be improvements to active travel (walking, wheeling and cycling) links with new sections of segregated cycleway and improved footways for pedestrians.
Cardiff Council is working with TfW to explore the possibility of delivering a new connection from Cardiff Bay station to a brand-new station on Pierhead Street (Cardiff Crossrail phase 1b), which is subject to additional funding being secured.
Cardiff Council, in partnership with TfW, secured £100 million of funding for Cardiff Crossrail phase 1a, the delivery of a tramway from Cardiff Central station to Cardiff Bay station. £50 million was secured from the UK Government, with the Welsh Government match funding a further £50 million for the project.
