Planned Cardiff £330,000 bus lane trims 40 seconds off travel time

A proposed £300,000 bus lane is set to shave just 40 seconds off trips in Cardiff.

The 170m (558ft) lane in Pontcanna would run west on Penhill Road, from Llandaff Fields car park to the Llanfair Road junction.

The council is planning changes to the city's public transport network, particularly on the north-west corridor to new housing developments.

People living on Penhill Road have complained about losing parking spaces.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, they said there was not enough public consultation and would be little benefit from a "piecemeal" bus lane.

One, Kathryn Walters, said: "There's been a real lack of consultation with the wider community, including all of the people who use the park, many of whom drive here.

"The notices that went up were very poor. We don't think it will deliver the benefits the council says it will."

Another resident, Stefan Nubert, dubbed the notices a "wall of text."

"The council staff were quite dismissive, and unwilling to answer questions," he said.

"We went round door-to-door one week and, overwhelmingly, residents were against it.

"But the vast majority of people weren't aware of it. They're spending a lot of money for very little."

According to council documents sent to residents, the lane would cost £336,000 and cut bus trips by 40 seconds.

Residents said 30 spaces outside homes would be lost.

Ms Walters said: "I'm supportive of the need to reduce car use. But they don't seem to get there are still quite a few people who [need to drive]. I can't do my job without my car.

"I don't think it's unreasonable to be able to park my car within a few hundred metres of my house."

The council said Penhill Road would be part of a series of bus priority measures from the city centre to its north-west.

Council leader Huw Thomas said: "This stretch of Penhill Road will provide a dedicated bus lane, as part of a series of bus priority measures to link the city centre to the new housing developments in north-west Cardiff.

"When all of these bus priority measures are built, not only will journey times be reduced, but also crucially, they will become more reliable."

He said bus passenger numbers were expected to increase, so it was "vital" new infrastructure was built.