ROADWORKS will begin on Monday to prepare a major road in Cardiff city centre for reopening to private cars.

Signs put up on Kingsway, near Castle Street, say the road will be closed for six weeks.

Cardiff council is aiming to reopen the road to general traffic by the end of October.

The road was closed to traffic in the summer of 2020 and pedestrianised before an outdoor cafe area was installed on the street. Then last autumn the road reopened to just buses and taxis.

The council announced in June plans to reopen the road to private cars, after fears the closure was leading to higher rates of air pollution in nearby residential streets.

A council spokesman said: “Signage has been put up on-street to notify residents and motorists that work will start on site from September 6, so that the required works can be carried out on Castle Street with the aim to re-open the road to general traffic by the end of October.”

The controversial decision 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.

Another issue was nitrogen dioxide, a harmful air pollutant, which the council is forecasting to increase by 40 per cent on Castle Street after the road is reopened to private cars.

However, council officers also claimed nitrogen dioxide increased on nearby residential streets, as a result of the closure, in places like Grangetown and Riverside.

The plans to reopen the road include making the pavement on the south side of Castle Street narrower, to make space for an extra lane of traffic.

While these works take place overnight, Castle Street will remain open to taxis and buses to travel one-way, from Cowbridge Road and Westgate Street onto North Road.

These works will only take place between 8pm and 6am so during the day Castle Street will remain open to buses and taxis in both directions.

The inbound route travelling from Boulevard de Nantes, south onto North Road, towards Castle Street, will be closed to all traffic, with the exception of the emergency services, where access will be maintained in both directions. While the works take place, our on-site contractor will manage all deliveries to shops and businesses.

The works also include updating traffic light systems, resurfacing and relining the road, and putting up new signs.

A council spokesman said: “This new road layout will ensure that the council meets its legally binding requirement to lower pollution on Castle Street to acceptable limits in the shortest time possible and represents the council’s original plan for the road as set out in the Clean Air Plan produced by Cardiff council and subsequently approved by Welsh Government in 2019.”

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