Pont y Werin

Last updated

Pont y Werin
Pont y Werin, Penarth to Cardiff.jpg
Pont y Werin, looking towards Cardiff Bay
Coordinates 51°26′52″N3°11′11″W / 51.4477°N 3.1864°W / 51.4477; -3.1864
CarriesCyclists
Pedestrians
Crosses River Ely
Locale Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales
Characteristics
Design Bascule bridge
Total length140 m (460 ft)
History
Opened14 July 2010
Location
Pont y Werin

Pont y Werin (Welsh for The People's Bridge) is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge spanning the River Ely between Cardiff Bay and Penarth, Wales.

Contents

Costing approximately £4.5 million, Pont y Werin crosses between the Cardiff International Sports Village and Penarth, allowing the public to travel to the Sports Village via Cogan railway station. [1]

Opened on 14 July 2010, the bascule bridge completes the 6.5 mile (10.5 km) Cardiff Bay circular walk and cycle route, [2] and incorporates a 20-metre opening section to allow river traffic to pass. [3]

Funding

The project to build Pont y Werin ("the People's Bridge") received a pledge of funding from the Big Lottery Fund, and Sustrans, intending to complete the bridge by summer 2010. [4] Funding for the new bridge came from the Welsh Assembly Government (£1.645m), Cardiff Council(£1.3m), Sustrans (£1.15m), Cardiff Harbour Authority (£250,000) and from the Vale of Glamorgan Council (£200,000). Sustrans used part of a £50m award it received from the Big Lottery Fund in 2007 after winning a national TV vote. [3]

Construction

Pont y Werin under construction
Pont y Werin under construction (1).jpg
Pont y Werin under construction (2).jpg
Pont y Werin under construction (3).jpg

The Pont y Werin was designed by Cass Hayward LLP. Building work to create a new 140 m (460 ft) bridge over the Ely River commenced in summer 2009. The four main sections, which weigh between 38 and 46 tonnes, were lowered into place by the 1,200-tonne crane, the largest in the UK, over a seven-day period in late March 2010 [3] in the presence of Lee Waters, Director of Sustrans Cymru and Jane Davidson AM, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing. [5]

Opening

Pont y Werin in the "open" position The Pont y Werin, Cardiff.jpg
Pont y Werin in the "open" position

Pont y Werin was originally set to open on 8 June 2010 but the date was pushed back six weeks until 14 July due to a delay in receiving supplies from Germany, but was accessible for vessels to pass beneath the bridge before this date. However none of the cycleway links to the bridge on the Vale of Glamorgan side, costing £300,000, were ready by 14 July. [6] [7]

The bridge was opened by the Deputy First Minister of Wales, Ieuan Wyn Jones who was the then Welsh Minister for Transport. Among those in attendance were Jason Stone, Sybil Williams, Lydia Harris and Tim Burns who were nominated by the public to appear on the bridge's portrait benches. [8]

Features

Portraits

Jason Stone (right) Pont y Werin, Cardiff.jpg
Jason Stone (right)

Portraits on the bridge feature a laser cut outline of local heroes, celebrities or historic figures, with a bench placed on either side of the river each featuring 3 such personalities chosen by Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan residents. The Portrait Bench is a UK wide art project from sustainable transport charity Sustrans with each bench featuring three life-size sculptures which are laser-cut by Laser Process Ltd from weathering Corten steel. There are nearly 80 installed across the country with Pont y Werin having two benches placed on it – one representing Cardiff and one for Penarth.

For the Vale of Glamorgan’s bench, the Vale-born Olympic gold medallist Nicole Cooke was chosen who has been a keen supporter of the bridge, urging people to get behind and vote for the project back in 2007. Paralympic gold medallist, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, has also been a keen supporter of the bridge, speaking publicly about the benefits it will bring to pedestrians, cyclists and disabled people. She also features as a portrait on the bridge. For the Cardiff bench, Sybil Williams, the founder member of Pedal Power, was chosen along with Cardiff Devils player, Jason Stone. The remaining personality for each bench was chosen by a drawing by local primary school pupils.

The Cardiff Bay side of the bridge will temporarily be diverted through Victoria Wharf whilst a nearby building project is completed. [9]

Mural

The bridge is only a short distance upstream from the disused Ely Subway, a pedestrian tunnel which provided a direct connection between Penarth Dock and Grangetown for workers and sailors between 1900 and 1963. A mural commemorating the subway by local artists Peaceful Progress is located beneath the southern end of the bridge. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vale of Glamorgan</span> County borough in Wales

The Vale of Glamorgan, locally referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol Channel to the south. With an economy based largely on agriculture and chemicals, it is the southernmost unitary authority in Wales. Attractions include Barry Island Pleasure Park, the Barry Tourist Railway, Medieval wall paintings in St Cadoc's Church, Llancarfan, Porthkerry Park, St Donat's Castle, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Cosmeston Medieval Village. The largest town is Barry. Other towns include Penarth, Llantwit Major, and Cowbridge. There are many villages in the county borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff Bay Barrage</span> Dam in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff Bay Barrage lies across the mouth of Cardiff Bay, Wales between Queen Alexandra Dock and Penarth Head. It was one of the largest civil engineering projects in Europe during construction in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff Bay</span> Area and lake in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff Bay is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff, Wales. The site of a former tidal bay and estuary, it is the river mouth of the River Taff and Ely. The body of water was converted into a 500-acre (2.0 km2) lake as part of a UK Government redevelopment project, involving the damming of the rivers by the Cardiff Bay Barrage in 1999. The barrage impounds the rivers from the Severn Estuary, providing flood defence and the creation of a permanent non-tidal high water lake with limited access to the sea, serving as a core feature of the redevelopment of the area in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penarth</span> Human settlement in Wales

Penarth is a town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taff Trail</span> Walking and cycling track in South Wales

The Taff Trail is a walking and cycle path that runs for 55 miles (89 km) between Cardiff Bay and Brecon in Wales. It is so named because it follows the course of the River Taff. Along much of its length, it follows the National Cycle Network Route 8 that continues to Holyhead, and is substantially off-road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Taff</span> River in Wales which flows into Cardiff Bay

The River Taff is a river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons; the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr before becoming one just north of Merthyr Tydfil. Its confluence with the River Severn estuary is in Cardiff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sully, Vale of Glamorgan</span> Human settlement in Wales

Sully is a village in the community of Sully and Lavernock, in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the northern coast of the Bristol Channel, midway between the towns of Penarth and Barry and 7 miles southwest of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine Barrett</span> Welsh politician (born 1950)

Lorraine Jayne Barrett is a former Welsh Labour & Co-operative Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Cardiff South and Penarth and an Assembly Commissioner from 2007 until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vale of Glamorgan Line</span> Commuter rail line in Wales

The Vale of Glamorgan Line is a commuter railway line in Wales, running through the Vale of Glamorgan from Barry to Bridgend, via Rhoose and Llantwit Major.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cogan railway station</span> Railway station in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Cogan railway station is a railway station serving Cogan in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It is on the Vale of Glamorgan Line 2+3⁄4 miles (4.4 km) south of Cardiff Central on the way to Barry Island and Bridgend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grangetown, Cardiff</span> District and community in Cardiff, Wales

Grangetown is a district and community in the south of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is one of the largest districts in the south of the city and is bordered by Riverside, Canton and Butetown. The River Taff winds its way through the area. Adjacent to the city's Cardiff Bay area, Grangetown is experiencing a period of gentrification and improvements in its infrastructure. Its population as of 2011 was 19,385 in 8,261 households. One of the "five towns of Cardiff", the others are Butetown, Crockherbtown, Newtown and Temperance Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cogan, Vale of Glamorgan</span> Suburb of Penarth, Wales

Cogan is a suburb of Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. Cogan contains one of the vale's four major leisure centres.

Transport in Cardiff, capital and most populous city in Wales involves road, rail, bus, water and air. It is a major city of the United Kingdom and a centre of employment, government, retail, business, culture, media, sport and higher education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A4232 road</span> Road in Cardiff, Wales

The A4232, which is also known either as the Peripheral Distributor Road (PDR) (Welsh: Ffordd Ddosbarthu Ymylol) or the Cardiff Link Road (Welsh: Ffordd Gyswllt Caerdydd), is a distributor road in Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Ely</span> River in South Wales flowing from Tonyrefail to Cardiff

The River Ely is in South Wales flowing generally southeast, from Tonyrefail to Cardiff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff International Sports Village</span> Sporting complex in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff International Sports Village is located in Cardiff Bay in the city of Cardiff, Wales. It is one of the largest regeneration projects currently in the UK and is a public-private funded project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penarth Dock</span> Port and harbour in Wales 1865–1963

Penarth Dock was a port and harbour which was located on the south bank of the mouth of the River Ely, at Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales. It opened in 1865 and reached its heyday before World War I, after which followed a slow decline until closed in 1963. The site has since been redeveloped to become Penarth Marina, which now opens into Cardiff Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cycling in Cardiff</span> Transport by bicycle in Cardiff, Wales

Cycling in Cardiff, capital of Wales, is facilitated by its easy gradients and large parks. In the mid-2000s between 2.7% and 4.3% of people commuted to work by cycling in the city. In 2017 12.4% of workers cycled to work at least 5 days a week. However, cyclists in the city are deterred from cycling by poor facilities and aggressive traffic, according to research by Cardiff University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ely Subway</span> Pedestrian tunnel in South Wales

The Ely Subway is a disused pedestrian tunnel beneath the mouth of the River Ely in South Wales.

References

  1. ↑ Cardiff Council's proposed bridge
  2. ↑ BBC News: First steps on bridge between Cardiff and the Vale
  3. 1 2 3 Wales Online: Pont y Werin bridge takes shape
  4. ↑ Sustrans news
  5. ↑ Sustrans | Pont Y Werin bridge lifted into place in Cardiff Archived 11 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Penarth Times | Pont y Werin opening delayed
  7. ↑ Penarth Times | No link for cyclists
  8. ↑ BBC News | 'People's bridge' linking Cardiff and Vale opens
  9. ↑ Vale of Glamorgan Council | Celebrities and local heroes come face to face on Pont y Werin
  10. ↑ "Pont Y Werin Bridge – The Old Ely Subway". Peaceful Progress - Graffiti Art, Cardiff, Wales, UK. Graffiti workshops, commissions, vehicle artwork, bedroom murals, Graffiti artists for hire. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.