Five images and a map showing what the first stage of Cardiff's £100m tram system will look like

Wales Online

11 hours ago

Five images and a map showing what the first stage of Cardiff's £100m tram system will look like
One part of Cardiff is set to be transformed as the Welsh capital welcomes its first trams in generations
An image of how Cardiff's new tram network will look
Public transport in Cardiff is set to be transformed in the coming years as the city welcomes its first trams in a generation and sees a new railway station open off Newport Road.
The city council has released five images showing how the first phase of Cardiff's new tram system will look when it opens, which is expected to be in 2028.
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Funding has been agreed with the Welsh and UK governments for the £100m first phase of what is being called Cardiff Crossrail and will see tram-trains run on the street from Central station down to the Bay.
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The plans will see some re-routing of traffic around Callaghan Square, which is the route the trams will take from central station down to the Bay.
The map below shows the route the trams will take as they leave from a new two-platform stop in what is now the car park on the south side of Central station.
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They will then head down across a new tramway on Callaghan Square before joining the existing train line which takes services from Queen Street to the Bay, where there will be an additional platform.
Traffic and tram routes in the city centre under the plans
(Image: Cardiff council / Transport for Wales )
In the longer-term, the hope is that the tram train route will be extended in both directions. To the south, the plan is for it to continue first to a new stop at Pierhead Street.
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Further stages of the scheme could then see the track continue further through future commuter stops in east Cardiff to ultimately link up again with the south Wales mainline.
To the west, the hope is that a short piece of linking track will be built to enable tram trains to continue onto the existing rail network so services can run further afield and to future additional stops in heavily-populated areas.
However, these longer-term visions are dependent on future funding which is not thought to be included in the Chancellor's £445m spending commitment in last week's spending review.
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An image of how Cardiff's new tram network will look in Callaghan Square
The Chancellor's announcement did include funding for a junction at Cardiff west, which is integral to enabling the future plans by allowing an increase on the number of services able to run on the City and Coryton lines to four an hour.
The plan is for the first phase of the new tram link running from Cardiff Central Station to Cardiff Bay to become operational by the summer of 2028.
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Cardiff council said tram-trains would be operating in time for football matches being staged at the Principality Stadium for the UEFA 2028 European Championships.
Cardiff council's transport boss Dan De'Ath said: 'Cardiff Crossrail is a bold and ambitious plan to deliver a new tram system for the city - one that will eventually stretch from the northwest to the east, connecting with the proposed Parkway Station.
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"With further investment, we aim to create a reliable, affordable cross-city tram service that links some of Cardiff's most underserved communities to the rail network for the first time."
The council's hoped-for timeline would see work start this summer on initial enabling work, a detailed design completed by the end of the year. Further construction would take place in 2026.
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Dan Tipper, Transport for Wales' chief infrastructure officer, said: 'Our ambition is that the new tramway will contribute towards a more sustainable transport network for Cardiff, which will encourage more people to leave their cars at home and instead choose more sustainable ways to travel.
'We're grateful for the contributions we received from our communities in the public consultation which was held back in autumn. This feedback will be vital in helping us shape this project so we can deliver a public tramway that people are proud of.'
Cardiff Crossrail phase one. Image from the Urbanist.
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UK Government Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'This project marks real progress in delivering better, greener transport for Cardiff. Crossrail will make it easier for people to get around the city and open up new opportunities for jobs, business and growth.
'We're serious about improving transport in every corner of the UK as part of our Plan for Change which is why we're investing at least £445m into rail projects alone in north and south Wales. With phase one set to complete in 2028, Cardiff is on track for a stronger, better-connected future.'
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: 'Cardiff Cross Rail is an ambitious and innovative project connecting the city centre with the Bay. I am pleased that Cardiff Council are now pressing ahead with the legal orders to make the scheme a reality.'