Cowbridge Road East Environmental Improvements
Introduction
Cardiff Council has carried out improvements to the street environment of a section of Cowbridge Road East. The project forms part of the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Schemes Programme, and its aims were to deliver pedestrian improvements including footway widening and resurfacing, rain gardens/planting and street furniture.
The environmental improvement works are now complete. Rain gardens have been built at key locations throughout the scheme to comply with new drainage legislation, to improve the drainage in the area and provide a more sustainable solution. They will feature low level vegetation bringing greenery and biodiversity into the area and will be planted during September/October.
Improvements to the junctions have also been incorporated, with the installation of continuous footways across side roads to provide a more pedestrian friendly environment. Whilst maintaining a level crossing area from pavement to pavement across the junction, the new layout reinforces pedestrian priority and also promotes the reduction of vehicle speed at the junction. The area is also within a newly designated 20mph limit.
Artwork Crossing
In September 2020 Cardiff Council and Chapter Arts Centre put a call out for local artists to submit examples of their work and proposals for a bespoke designed crossing on Cowbridge Road East as part of the wider environmental improvements for the area. We received over 50 applications, with each applicant showing their individual creativity.
In October 2020, Cardiff Council, Chapter and Jude Lau (Co-founder and Workshop manager of the Printhaus) assessed all of the submissions to identify 3 designs that would be of high quality and incorporate the history and built form of Canton.
The final 3 artists chosen were:
MARCA Design:
Trin Brierley:
Steffan Dafydd:
In March 2021, the three designs were put on to the Council’s social media pages and website to allow the public to vote for their favourite. There were over 1000 votes, with Steffan Dafydd receiving the majority and winning the competition with his design which can be seen below as a mock up in place on Cowbridge Road East.
Stephen’s design has now been implemented, which you can view in the gallery below.
Work has now begun on Cowbridge Road East
