The Cardiff Metro Plus programme forms part of Cardiff’s Transport Improvement Programme which has an ambition to double the number of people travelling by bus in the capital to reduce congestion and improve air quality. It aims to do this through introducing a series of sustainable and active travel packages that will enable improved bus connections in Cardiff City Centre, improved active travel infrastructure and pedestrian safety improvements.
The programme will involve the completion of the new central interchange and three regional interchanges. The plan also includes new bus priority ‘smart’ corridors on major routes, and the creation of transport hubs around the city – enabling customers interchange easily between train, bus, cycling and walking. Improving school services and creating a better customer experience are also targets.
To find out more about the vision and approach we caught up with Caro Wild; Cardiff Council Cabinet member for Transport and Strategic Planning:
“This is all about the fact that Cardiff has allowed all of its road space to be dominated by cars, and over the years it has not allowed space for buses, for people walking and cycling. As part of our plans to make the city centre better for people to live and work in, to get around a healthier way, we’re giving more space for buses. We want at least 20% of residents and commuters to travel by bus by 2030. That’s doubling today’s number. This won’t happen without a real sea change in the way we operate our bus services. That’s why we’ve drawn up a strategy on how we are going to achieve this, in consultation with the public. We believe, working with partners, that our nine-point strategy can bring about the required behaviour change. As a local authority working alone, we know we are limited on what we can do. Credit has to be given to the Welsh Government which has secured funding for bus operators through the Bus Emergency Scheme, and financially secured the bus industry during the pandemic. This now has to be followed up with new policy to take back more control of our bus services, and properly fund this vital form of transport.”
