Cycling in Cardiff


Cycling in Cardiff, capital of Wales, is facilitated by its easy gradients and large parks. In the mid-2000s between 2.7% and 4.3% of people commuted to work by cycling in the city. In 2017 12.4% of workers cycled to work at least 5 days a week. However, cyclists in the city are deterred from cycling by poor facilities and aggressive traffic, according to research by Cardiff University.
As the busiest city, Cardiff is statistically the most dangerous place to cycle in Wales. Between 1999 and 2008, 1,000 cyclists were injured on the road, 20% of all cycling accidents in Wales, although the number of injuries to cyclists continues to fall.
The Cardiff cycle network is over long with an additional completed each year.

Council policy

According to their Cycling Strategy, Cardiff County Council aims to encourage citizens to cycle more, citing the improved health through increased fitness, reduced pollution and congestion of the local environment, economic gains through cycle tourism and leisure, independence for those people who cannot or do not wish to use a car, and the fact that cycling can be the quickest and most convenient form of transport in urban areas such as Cardiff. In 2002 they appointed a full-time Cycling Officer.
The council's Transport, Infrastructure and Waste service aims to ensure that an increase in cycling is matched with a reduction in the number of collisions involving cyclists.
Cardiff Council also provides off-road cycle training for school pupils to develop basic cycling skills based upon the National Cycling Proficiency Scheme. Training covers the Highway Code, negotiating obstacles, turning left and right, emergency stops and basic cycle maintenance. More than 1,500 children participate in this course every year in Cardiff, according to the council's Cycling Strategy.
The council produces a free map of the city, available from its offices or from cycle shops, highlighting cycle paths, lanes and suggested cycle routes.

Strategy

The council's Cycling Strategy was adopted in 1998. The 2007 update showed that 2.7% of people living in Cardiff cycled to work in 2001, an increase from 2.6% in 1991. However, an Omnibus survey showed that in 2003 and 2005, 3.6% and 4.3% of people cycled to work respectively. Although, the number of children cycling to school fell from 5% to 2% since 1989–91. In the strategy, the council intends to:
  • encourage and promote cycling
  • provide safe facilities such as wider cycle lanes and advanced stop lines at traffic signals
  • conduct a trial scheme to assess the viability of allowing cycling through pedestrian areas in the city centre
  • improve cycle links between residential and commercial areas
  • facilitate integration with other modes of transport
  • improve and maintain the cycle network
  • develop and clearly sign routes

    Cycleways

Cardiff Council are in the process of developing 5 cycleways across the city. This falls in line with its strategy to provide far more segregation from motorised traffic for cyclists.
While work on the routes has already broken ground, some have criticised both certain design flaws and how long it is taking for consultations to be published, with only two published within as many years. While some routes are essentially brand new, others are facelifts or changes of priority for current routes, such as Cycleway 3 on Lloyd George Avenue, and Cycleway 2 on Newport Road.
The proposed Cycleway routes are:

Cycle Shops

The 2011 Cardiff Council cycle map listed 12 cycle shops in the city: in Canton, Cathays, Cathays, Gabalfa, Grangetown, Llandaff North, Llanrumney, Pontcanna, Rhiwbina, Roath, Roath and Whitchurch. Braddicks on Broadway, Roath, closed in January 2015 after 70 years trading.

Cycle lanes

Some roads in the city provide distinct cycle lanes to the left of the vehicle lane. According to the Cardiff Cycle Map, these include:
;West Cardiff
;North Cardiff
;South Cardiff
;East Cardiff
  • Llanrumney Avenue: a main suburban road running through Llanrumney

    Bus and cycle lanes

There are also lanes that cyclists share with buses, motorcycles and taxis, in which it is illegal to drive on in any other motor vehicle. Such lanes are on:
  • Newport Road: in Rumney and Roath, East Cardiff
  • Westgate Street, St Mary Street and Wood Street: in the City Centre
  • Boulevard de Nantes and Dumfries Place: leading from Cathays Park in the centre to Newport Road and East Cardiff
  • Cowbridge Road East: from Canton to Ely Bridge in West Cardiff
  • Tudor Street: a main city centre approach from Riverside in West Cardiff

    Segregated / off-road cycle paths

can be a shared pavement with pedestrians, running alongside a road or through a park for example. This is denoted by a blue circular sign showing a bicycle and pedestrians. A cycle only route is denoted by blue circular sign showing only a bicycle. Much of the Taff Trail, Ely Trail and Rumney Trail are segregated from traffic. Other such routes in the city include:
;West Cardiff
  • Llandaff Fields: through parkland area in Pontcanna, connecting with the Taff Trail
;North Cardiff
  • M4 Junction 32: routes run under the junction from Coryton to Tongwynlais
  • Gabalfa Interchange: routes run over and round the junction as an alternative to vehicle routes
  • University Hospital of Wales: routes run around Heath Hospital through King George Field
;South Cardiff
  • North Road: from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama to Llys Talybont, connecting to the Taff Trail.
  • Leckwith Road: from Ninian Park railway station in Canton connecting to the Ely Trail.
  • Cardiff International Sports Village: the vicinity has a network of segregated routes connected to the Ely Trail in the west, Grangetown in the north, and Cardiff Bay in the east.
  • Lloyd George Avenue: from the City Centre to Cardiff Bay, part of Route 8
  • Central Link: parallel to the east of Lloyd George Avenue
  • Butetown: a route runs through a housing estate to Cardiff Bay, parallel to the west of Lloyd George Avenue
  • Rover Way: through an industrial and commercial estate between Adamsdown and Tremorfa
;East Cardiff
  • Llanedeyrn: a route runs through the housing estate from St Mellons Road to Llanedeyrn Interchange
  • Pentwyn Drive: a route runs along this road in Pentwyn around Wern-goch Park and connects with the Rumney Trail
  • St Mellons: routes connect various parts of the suburb
  • Llanrumney: a route connects Llanrumney Avenue with Ball Road, near the ''Rumney Trail''

    Cycle parking

There are bicycle stands for parking in locations including the following:
;West Cardiff
  • Canton: Cowbridge Road East, Wellington Street and Llandaff Road
  • Fairwater: Fairwater Library
;North Cardiff
;South Cardiff
;Cardiff City Centre
;East Cardiff
  • Rumney: Rumney Library
  • Llanrumney: Llanrumney Library
  • St Mellons: St Mellons Library

    Cycle hire

Pedal Power is a charity with their main bike centre in Pontcanna offering cycle hire facilities. Cycle training and cycle assessments are also available.

OYBike

In March 2009 the Welsh Assembly Government and Cardiff Council announced plans to introduce a free cycle hire scheme, with bike racks placed around the city, allowing people to pick up bikes and ride them to another point, where they would leave the bike. Money would also be put into creating more strategic cycle routes and cycle lanes. The system, similar to those in other large cities, launched in September 2009, and included 70 bikes and 35 hire points around the centre and the south of the city. The stations were: Central Station; Cardiff Castle; Central Library; Queen Street Station; Churchill Way; City Hall; eastern Queen Street; Cardiff Bay Station; County Hall; and Cardiff Bay Visitors’ Centre. It was necessary to register before using a bike. The first half an hour was free after which a small hourly fee was payable. The scheme, which was part of a £28.5 million plan to encourage residents in the capital to use sustainable transport and ease congestion, was welcomed by campaigners.
The cycle scheme run by OYBike ended in December 2011 after funding was removed by Cardiff council; the operator did not have other sponsors so the bikes along with their smart locks were removed from the city centre.