A new public square is being developed on Kingsway in Cardiff to create a tree-lined boulevard with seating, landscaping and open space.
The new public space will introduce step-free crossings, wide footways and new cycle routes to encourage walking and cycling as well as rain gardens and drainage features integrated into the design. The new road layout and public space aims to create a seamless link between the city centre and the civic centre, resulting in an event-ready public space for markets, performances and gatherings.
The transformational scheme will improve pedestrian access, including removing the Kingsway subway leading to the civic centre, to create a safe, welcoming area with street-level crossings to improve visibility and safety.
The new square and step-free pedestrian crossing will enhance views of heritage landmarks, including City Hall and the National Museum, and provide new homes for historic statues.
The improvements will also deliver health and environmental benefits, with increased tree planting to further improve air quality and support urban cooling.
Cardiff Council said it has already engaged with a broad range of stakeholders throughout the development of the scheme to seek views from people with a wide variety of perspectives, needs and characteristics. The up-and-coming public engagement on Kingway will also include the Citizen Panel, which provides access to a diverse and broadly representative group of residents and users.
The scheme, known as the Cardiff to Newport Sustainable Transport Corridor, will begin with the first phase delivering a new cycleway from Cardiff city centre to Cypress Drive in St Mellons and the county boundary. This will be supported by measures to prioritise buses, improving journey times and service reliability. It will also enhance walking, wheeling and cycling routes to help reduce congestion. The Kingsway improvements form part of this first phase.
Cabinet Members will be asked to approve the start of a tender process to appoint a contractor for Phase 1a of the scheme at its meeting on 18 June, allowing work to commence on site at a later date.
The wider improvements to the Newport Road corridor will also enhance highway connections to key transport hubs, including Queen Street railway station, the bus interchange, Churchill Way, and the future Cardiff East and Parkway stations, supporting economic growth by improving access to jobs, education and leisure facilities.
The new cycleway, which will replace the pop-up cycleway, will connect to existing and planned routes, including Cycleway 1, which currently runs from Stuttgarter Strasse (in the city centre near St Andrew's Crescent) to the University Hospital of Wales in Heath, as well as the Roath Park cycleway (Cycleway 6) and the Rhymney Trail.
The overall scheme will be delivered in six phases. Phase 1a will run from the city centre to the West Grove junction, with future phases extending the cycleway towards Newport. In the city centre, the route will also connect directly to the Station Terrace/Bridge Street cycleway, providing onward links to the Taff Trail and the west of the city.
Councillor Dan De'Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport, said:
“The first phase of this scheme will be an important step towards significantly improving Kingsway and creating sustainable transport options from Cardiff to the eastern boundary of the city. We must build the infrastructure needed to make sustainable travel more attractive, including walking, cycling and public transport, to encourage people to leave their cars at home. This will support healthier lifestyles and help tackle climate change.
“Public feedback has already helped shape the design of the first phase of the scheme, with further engagement planned for future phases of the project.”
Subject to approval, under the current timeline, the tender process for Phase 1a will begin in summer 2026, with construction expected to start in early 2027 and be completed by summer 2028.
Phase 1a of the scheme is funded through a combination of grants from the Regional Transport Fund, the Burns Grant Fund and the Cardiff Capital Programme. Improvements to Kingsway are currently funded through the Cardiff Parking Reserve account.
