Road and traffic issues

We are working with Cardiff Council to make our roads safer...

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We held another meeting with Cardiff Council's Head of Transportation on 10 September. It turned out to be a very positive meeting - and it was great to hear Cardiff officials saying how much they valued the close relationship they had developed with our community, through the work of Radyr and Morgantown Community Council - and its Road Safety Working group. Our thanks go, again, to Cllr Rod McKerlich (our County Councillor) for facilitating the meeting.

This is what we discussed:

• a positive response had been received to Cardiff's consultation on installing three new zebra crossings in R&M. These were now at detailed design stage. The work would go out to tender in October, with start of works planned for January / February 2020. These would be funded with £300k of Section 106 money, released early by Redrow Homes. They would be simple zebra crossings (not pelican crossings) since these would enable pedestrians to cross more quickly, compared to waiting for pelican lights to change.
• a survey had been undertaken on Windsor Road, at the bend where there is no pavement. Pavement design and layout was now at the design stage - to be followed by a consultation. Start of works could be around March 2020. The scheme could include parking restrictions on the bend.
• the 20mph zone (which would include all of R&M apart from Parc Radur) would require a traffic regulatory order. This was in the hands of Cardiff's lawyers - but the work would take some time, with consultation on the orders likely to take place in early 2020, with a 3 week response time. Objections were likely (most other 20mpg schemes had led to objections), so start of works on this (if it was to proceed, following the consultation) was likely to be spring / summer 2020. In the meantime , R&MCC could help prepare the local community for introduction of the zone.
• Cardiff agreed to include Heol Isaf and Ty Nant Road in its air quality monitoring programme, to evaluate the impact of road improvement works, including the 20mph zone.
• consultation with regard to the closure of Golf Club Lane had been completed - and the decision taken to take the process forward. As such, the traffic regulatory order was being prepared. Start of works was expected in summer 2020. Bollards would be placed at either end of the lane (which was not deemed suitable for emergency vehicles, even when the main road was blocked)
• it was agreed that Cardiff Council would carrying out an assessment of the junction of De Clare Drive and King's Road (at the roundabout by Radyr Station), to assess whether there is justification for highway improvement works. Any resultant scheme would be added to Cardiff's future programme to be ranked against all similar road safety schemes.  Any public consultation would be undertaken only when a suitable scheme had funding secured.
• it was agreed that Cardiff would consider measures that could be implemented to calm traffic along Bryn Derwen. In the meantime, the closure of Golf Club Lane could help, by removing traffic travelling along Bryn Derwen to use the lane as a rat run. It was noted that Bryn Derwen had been approved as a location for speed monitoring by local volunteers
• the Nextbikes station was to be located, in the near future, outside McColl's on Station Road. The bike station would measure 7m by 2m (7m by 1 m without the bikes). If this location proves to be unsuitable, the station could be moved quite easily. Cardiff was also considering installing electric bikes at Radyr Station. Reference was made to the Lime Bikes scheme in Vienna, where members of the public are paid for charging bikes in their homes, before replacing them on the street, for hire by registered users (https://www.li.me/about-us)
• it was agreed that R&MCC should develop, for consideration by Cardiff, proposals for improving Station Road and the surrounding area, to improve its role as a place for the community to meet, shop and socialise. This could include introducing a one-way system, changes to parking, closure to traffic at specific times and more. 
• reference was made to the prosed Coryton link, which would place a train station opposite Radyr Station, on the other side of the Taff. This could ease journeys east and west across the city - and encourage more people to use public transport
• Cardiff Council explained that the proposed park and ride schemes (near the M4 and on the A470) were experiencing delays - but these were still planned
• R&MCC explained that it was working with Sustrans to develop proposals with regard to safe cycling and walking. Cardiff explained that it was intending to work with Living Streets; although the focus would be the city centre, the principles involved could apply to R&M. In the meantime R&MCC could encourage residents to use public transport when travelling to the city centre
• R&MCC explained that it's Road Safety Working Group was developing place-making ideas, which would be presented to the community council in the near future
• Cardiff explained that a further £638k of Section 106 money had been earmarked for R&M, over and above the £300k released by Redrow (as described above). This would become available when house-builders' trigger points were reached. The total Section 106 money to be generated by the Plasdwr project was £25m.
• Cardiff explained that a white paper was to be submitted to Cardiff Council in the autumn, discussing key development projects across the capital, including the cross-rail scheme, park and ride facilities and active travel schemes. The estimated cost of these works was £1bn
• Cardiff agreed to arrange a meeting of all the agencies who could monitor and enforce the restrictions on HGV traffic through R&M. This would discuss strategies for ensuring better enforcement. Representatives from R&MCC would be invited to the meeting - and would provide a note, beforehand, setting out the extent of the problem and the outcome to be sought at the proposed meeting.

H O Jones
Chair
​Radyr and Morganstown Community Council