Cardiff Council’s, Executive Member for Traffic and Transportation, Cllr Delme Bowen and Senior Project Manager at Sustrans Cymru Vinny Mott yesterday, were the first people to walk across the Pont y Werin bridge.
Over the past week the largest crane in the UK has been busy moving the four spans of the bridge into place, today the final span was put into positions to allow the first steps to be taken.
The bridge will officially open to the public in June and will provide a vital link to enable pedestrians and cyclists to cross between Penarth and the International Sports Village at Cardiff Bay.
The design incorporates a 20 metre opening section to allow river traffic to pass. The bridge will also provide the final link completing the Bay Edge Walkway and cycle route and connect it into the Vale of Glamorgan.
Funding from the new bridge has come from the Welsh Assembly Government, £1.645m, Cardiff Council, £1.3m, sustainable transport charity Sustrans £1.15m, Cardiff Harbour Authority £250k and £200k from The Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Sustrans have helped fund this new route for Cardiff, including the Pont y Werin, using part of a £50m award they received from the Big Lottery Fund in 2007 after winning a national TV vote in ITV1. Sustrans is creating new walking and cycling routes across the UK to connect communities and help people make more local, everyday journeys by foot or by bike.
Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Transport and Transportation, Cllr Delme Bowen, said: “I am honoured to be one of the first to walk across the bridge; a lot of hardwork has gone into bringing Pont y Werin to life, which we were only able to do by working in Partnership, the last partner being delivered by WAG and the Deputy First Minister.
“ We have received an overwhelming amount of support from the Cardiff and Vale communities, who I know are looking forward to the bridge opening in June, Pont y Werin will make a huge difference to both communities and will complete the bay edge walkway.”
Vinny Mott, Senior Project Manager for Sustrans Cymru, said: “It’s great to see the bridge in place – it will provide a vital link between Cardiff and Penarth. We can’t wait for it to be open later this year so that local people can start using it to get across the river safely, by foot and by bike, away from the roads and the jams.”
Cllr Jeff James, the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s cabinet member for planning and transportation, said: “It’s wonderful to welcome the completion of this final piece of the Pont y Werin project which provides an important link and crossing point for the public. This project has fully demonstrated the true value of effective partnership working between organisations and their local communities.”
