Covid: Castle Street, Cardiff, reopens after pandemic closure

The road reopened to some vehicles in November - but remained closed to private cars

A major road through the centre of Cardiff has reopened to private traffic for the first time since July 2020.

Castle Street, which closed to become an al fresco dining area during the Covid pandemic, reopened to buses and taxis in November.

Cardiff council announced earlier this year that the road would reopen fully, saying pollution had been pushed from the city centre to residential areas.

However, nearby Westgate Street has closed to private cars.

Westgate Street is used by thousands of commuters daily and is the one of the main ways of getting to the Principality Stadium when it hosts major sporting events, concerts and other events.

Cardiff council has forecast that nitrogen dioxide, a harmful air pollutant, will increase by 40% on Castle Street after it is fully reopened, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Before the decision to reopen the road, a consultation with 6,227 responses found 53.8% wanted it to reopen to private traffic, while 33.8% wanted to keep it closed.

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A bus gate will mean that buses, taxis, pedestrians and cyclists will be the only through traffic on the street.

The council said the Westgate Street change was a "key component" of its clear air plan and had been agreed with the Welsh government after a legal directive to keep air quality within legal limits.

Residents will be allowed to access their properties by car.

A similar scheme in Ceredigion, which saw roads closed to allow extra space for businesses in Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, New Quay and Cardigan, ended last month.

Roadworks have been in place for the past few weeks to prepare the street for reopening.