Cardiff: Drivers face £70 fine for using shortcut without permit

Drivers who use a residential road in Cardiff as a shortcut in the daytime face fines of up to £70 from Monday.

Cardiff Council is introducing the so-called permit gate on Fishguard Road and Crystal Glen in the Llanishen area of the city.

It means only permit holders and other authorised vehicles will be able to drive on the streets between Heathwood Road to Ty Glas Avenue.

The permit gate will be active from 07:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Saturday.

Local resident Stacy Lewis, whose mother has to drive through Crystal Glen every day to help with childcare, described the scheme as a "pain".

She said she's unable to get a permit for her mother as her car is not registered to the address, so will "have to log on and apply for a visitor's permit every day".

"My mum takes two children to school and takes one to toddlers. Every day I'll have to make sure I have a permit, she's there every single day," added Ms Lewis.

"I've spoken to the local councillor and there's nothing I can do because she's not eligible for a carers' permit."

Initially, as a trial, the gate will be in operation for 18 months.

On its website, Cardiff Council said the roads were resident and visitor access only before, but drivers were not following the rules and they were difficult to enforce.

The council said those without a permit could still access the area, but must leave the same way they came in, and buses and taxis did not need a permit.

Monitored by CCTV, a penalty charge notice of £70 will be issued for those who do not comply with the new rules, although this will be halved if paid within three weeks.

Deborah Morgan lives in the new permit area and welcomed the new scheme, saying Fishguard Road can be "bedlam" during peak times.

"I think the permits are a great idea. I think it'll reduce the traffic first thing in the morning and in the evening rush hour," she said.

However, Ms Morgan said people who have problems using digital technology may find it difficult to apply for the permits in time.

"It's going to give people no time and particularly around here a lot of older people. It's going to be chaos, absolute chaos, come Monday."

Canon Michael Jones from St Bridget's Church on Crystal Glen said he was concerned people attending funerals could be fined.

"Luckily, Sunday, which of course people think of as a church day, it's not going to apply. But we do have problems when things happen not on a Sunday.

"Principally weddings and funerals, when we will have to contact the transport department to ask them to turn it off, or not to take any notice."