A road in Cardiff is becoming the first "permit gate" in the city as part of a trial scheme. The restriction, aiming to cut down shortcut traffic during peak times, will apply from 7am to 7pm, Mondays to Saturdays.
The "gate" itself is only a very short section of Crystal Glen in Llanishen, but will restrict traffic from using it as a cut-through when travelling from Ty-Glas Avenue and Heathwood Road, north of Roath Park Lake. 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.
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 only warning notices will be issued for the first 14 days of the scheme.
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Cardiff Council says the new scheme has two aims - to prevent vehicles from using Fishguard Road and Crystal Glen as a shortcut between Ty Glas Avenue and Heathwood Road, and to encourage active travel. You can get the latest Cardiff news by subscribing to our newsletter here.
You'll be able to get a free permit to access the road during the restricted times if you're a resident, business, place or worship or community premises such as a social club in the area. You can apply for one if your property is on Crystal Glen, Fishguard Road, Ty-Glas Avenue service road (numbers 1 to 63), any road that can only be accessed from these roads, or on Heathwood Road (numbers 211, 213, 215, and 217).
Residents can get an unlimited number of permits if they own or keep the vehicle at their address. Businesses, places of worship and community premises can apply for "a limited number of permits on a first-come, first-serve basis." You can find out more about permits here.
Drivers without a permit can access the area but not pass all the way through - instead, you'll need to exit the way you came. This includes delivery drivers, carers, social groups and churchgoers.
Some vehicles are completely exempted and never need a permit. This includes local buses, taxis and car club vehicles. Outside of the operational hours, nobody needs a permit.
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.
The council says the scheme follows consultation with 323 members of the public, 65% of whom supported bringing the gate in. The council had proposed the gate would apply 24/7 but changed this to allow access in evenings and on Sundays.
The council said: "These roads were for resident and visitor access only before, but the restriction is difficult to enforce, and drivers were not following it. The police and Cardiff Council policy do not support access-only orders."
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.
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