Residents on a road you will soon be fined for fined for driving down have described the reality of living on a notoriously busy rat run. The plan aims to cut down traffic around Crystal Glen during peak times and will apply from 7 am to 7 pm from Monday to Saturday.
Crystal Glen in Llanishen will form the gate and will restrict cars from using it as a cut-through when travelling from Ty-Glas Avenue to Heathwood Road, just north of Roath Park Lake.
CCTV cameras will monitor and enforce the gate, with a £70 fine issued to drivers who travel through the section of Crystal Glen without a digital permit. The fine is £35 if paid within 21 days, and warning notices will be issued for only the first 14 days of the scheme. You can read more detail on how it will work here.
Read more: The Cardiff roads you won't be able to drive down during the school run without a permit
Residents living on the roads within the access zone will be issued free permits so they can drive through the camera gate without incurring a fine. Within the zone is Bader Close, Cheshire Close, Crystal Glen, Fishguard Close, Fishguard Road, Gibson Close, Glen View, Heathbrook, Heol Gwyndaf, Heol Merlin, St Dogmael's Avenue, St Martin's Crescent, Trenchard Drive, Wavell Close, Wingate Drive, and Tŷ Glas Avenue.
The restrictions are part of an initial 18-month trial which the council says has two main aims - to prevent vehicles from using Fishguard Road and Crystal Glen as a shortcut, and to encourage active travel. “We hope to stop rat-running, reduce traffic, improve bus times, make roads safer, reduce vehicle speeds, and make the area nicer for cycling and walking,” said a Cardiff Council statement in 2022.
Reacting to the news, Bernard Diggins, who has lived on Crystal Glen since 1960, said: “Let's try it, it can't be any worse than it already is here. For years we’ve suffered with the early morning traffic when people use the street as a rat-run to go between Llanishen and Roath Park instead of going around."
“I always have problems coming out of my drive, it’s happened many times before where I tried to reverse out and a car immediately pulled up behind me,” he added.
Much like Bernard, John Sims, who has been living just down the road since 1987, has faced similar issues as a result of the rush hour traffic. “It's a great idea,” he said. “It's an access-only road and people abuse it. I've trouble getting in and out of my drive every day and I've had cars coming up and over the pavement undertaking me to go up the road, it's just ridiculous.
“Apart from the bad air and everything that goes with it, it's just extremely irritating when you can't get in and out of your drive and do normal things. These new restrictions are a good thing because they make people do what the law requires them to do.”
Sarah is also in support of the plan and feels that it will deliver a better quality of life for everyone along the road. She said: “I think it's excellent for the street. It's very difficult to get out of your drive here and numerous people have had their cars smashed into.”
“I think that the restrictions are really good for our street and for our children to be able to play. It makes it a much nicer place to live as it should have been all along, it's a big victory for us,” she said.
Usha Ladwa-Thomas moved into Crystal Glen just ten days ago and is in support of the plan but she feels as if the council needs to do more to communicate the rules better with residents. “It's a lovely community and everyone is really friendly but I'm a bit confused about the road markings and what will happen when the restrictions are introduced. The information I've gotten in the post isn't very clear so I've been relying on the neighbours but it's a good thing because people use the road as a rat-run and the traffic is quite heavy in the mornings so it's good for us as residents.”
According to the council, vehicles travelling into the roads south of Ty-Glas Avenue via Fishguard Road also have to exit via Fishguard Road, and vehicles travelling north on Crystal Glen will have to exit the same way to the south. A ban on right turns from Crystal Glen into Heathwood Road to prevent queueing vehicles, introduced in 1996, is being removed for the trial period as the amount of traffic is expected to be lower.
The restriction comes into force on Monday, June 19 and will run for an 18-month trial period. If it works well, the council will consider making it permanent. To get more Cardiff news straight to your inbox, subscribe to our dedicated newsletter here.
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