Cardiff (United Kingdom)
Cardiff (in Welsh Caerdydd) is a city of 324,800 inhabitants and the capital and largest city in Wales. It is its chief commercial centre and is home to most of the national cultural and sporting institutions and to the Welsh national media. The city made notable measures for a well balanced modal split.
According to 2008 figures (for journeys to shopping), Cardiff demonstrates a modal split of 50 percent car/taxi; 19.4 percent pedestrians; 24.5 bus; 2.3 percent bicycle; 3.0 percent train; and 0.8 percent other.
The city’s approach to transport management is currently defined by a transport strategy. Its main targets include widening travel choices by ensuring that a range of real and attractive travel options are available for most trips, and that people know about them. To reinforce this strategy, in March 2009, the Welsh Assembly Government announced that Cardiff would be the first Sustainable Travel City (STC) in Wales. Cardiff's two-year STC programme (2009 to 2011) includes a range of measures that support the transport strategy. Improvements to the city’s transport infrastructure are underway which will ensure the facilities and options for increasing public transport use are in place, as well as walking and cycling. An accompanying programme of soft measures, or Smarter Choices, will provide citizens with information, incentives and encouragement to change their travel behaviour.
Good progress has been made. Achievements to date include improved bus access to the city center, pedestrian zones in the city center, an expanded cycling network, a new bridge, completion of a cycle route around the bay and greater opportunities for walking and cycling into the city from surrounding areas. Bus corridors and other public transport infrastructure have been installed, a new Park and Ride/Park and Share scheme has been introduced and civil parking enforcement (CPE) is in place. All the city’s traffic wardens have been transferred under the responsibility of Cardiff Council from South Wales Police. A Smart City Hub will help to keep transport flowing in the city.
As yet, no special emphasis has been demonstrated on clean vehicles and alternative fuels. Future phases of the initiative are still to be determined and the council is in discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government to secure the continuation of funding for the Cardiff STC initiative for the next three years.
The city of Cardiff works on the implementation of sustainable urban transport measures in cooperation with the Welsh Assembly Government, Sewta (the regional transport consortia for South East Wales), public transport operators, the public transport information provider Traveline Cymru, and the sustainable transport charity Sustrans. A Programme Board that represents many stakeholders has been established to support the Sustainable Travel City project.
Summary finalized: June 2010
