Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:29 am
Integrated Ticketing is relatively straightforward -it just needs agreements - and no significant capital expenditure.
But looking at some of the bigger spending plans, I have been looking at the most recent ‘Potential Metro’ Map and in particular the possible tram lines proposed for Cardiff City Centre. It appears that there are three tram routes being considered:
1. Cardiff Central to Cardiff Bay - Presumably this would be street running from South of Central Station across Callaghan Square where it would join the existing Bay line at Herbert Street. This seems a no-brainer.
2. Cathays to Penarth – This would be street running across central Cardiff, passing to the east of Central Station and joining the existing Penarth Line at Grangetown. The route from Grangetown along Penarth Road is fairly obvious, but then there are a few options:
a. Follow Penarth Road under the main lines or continue onto Callaghan Square and then under the lines along St Mary Street. Penarth Road is probably a better location for serving Central Station
b. Follow St Mary Street through the centre – or instead follow Mill Lane – the Hayes – John Street. The Hayes route would be better for St David Centre but might be too narrow at its Northern end, so St Mary Street looks more likely
c. The route to Cathays Park would almost certainly follow Greyfriars but with two or three options to reach Cathays station – A route along Park Place with the tram terminus parallel to Cathays stations would work well, but alternatively the terminus could be a short walk from the station in Cathays Park, following Museum Place or King Georg V Avenue. However, installing overhead electrical wires in Cathays Park will not be very popular, so I think that Park Place is the more likely route. This line should be very popular and I hope it goes ahead asap
3. Cathays to Western Cardiff – This route is not so obvious – not least how the lines would leave the Western Cardiff lines at Ninian Park. Assuming the line follows Leckwith Road, there are then two possible routes – one following Tudor Street and onto Wood Street, which would then join the line along St Mary Street. The other route would follow Cowbridge Road and join up with the Cathays line near Cardiff Castle. While there is a clear need for new routes to Western Cardiff and Southern RCT, I cant see the point of these leaving the railway at Ninian Park, and it would make more sense to stay on the main lines until just west of Cardiff Central, and then swing off to the south and join up with the tramline along Penarth Road/St Mary Street. This would also provide a connection (or even direct service) to Cardiff Bay. I dont think the currently planned route would be cost-effective
Build it and they will come.
Get it wrong and they will fall off.