How Wales’ towns and cities will change to allow safer social distancing
Pop up cycle paths, additional bus lanes and widening pavements are some of the plans announced to encourage social distancing in Wales.
The First Minister said the Welsh Government has established a small fund with local authorities so they can make proposals to change the layout of roads and streets.
Mark Drakeford MS said: "We are going to have to have more active travel measures in place to enable people to get back into town centres."
The new adjustments should mean that people do not feel that they are forced to walk on roads to keep two-metres away from other pedestrians on pavements.
In Cardiff, the council is beginning to put measures in place to allow for safer social distancing on the streets.
On Sunday, the traffic lane next to Cardiff Castle, on Castle Street, will be removed so the pavement can be extended into the road for pedestrians and cyclists to use.
This new space will run from the junction at Cathedral Road and Cowbridge Road, over Canton Bridge, along Castle Street, Duke Street and up to the North Road and Boulevard De Nantes junction.
The area will be temporarily marked out with traffic cones and later replaced with bolt-down pole cones.
Cllr Caro Wild, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport said a similar scheme on Wood Street is currently being looked into.
He said: “We have to ensure that any changes we make to roads and pavements are safe for all road users.
“With the significant increase in the number of people cycling and walking in the city, it is important, more than ever, for all users of public space to be respectful and mindful of others especially with vulnerable users.”
Cardiff Council has already introduced social distancing measures around Roath Park Lake by creating a one-way footpath and removing the visitor parking bays nearest to the lake. This has given cyclists and joggers more space.
Soon, a pilot scheme will be launched in Plasnewydd, to enable social distancing in neighbourhood shopping areas.
The parking bays will be removed on either side of Wellfield Road to allow the pavement to be extended. This will provide extra space to allow social distancing measures to be followed.