Cardiff invites public to help shape future walking and cycling routes

Cardiff residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to help shape the city’s future walking and cycling network as the council prepares to update its Active Travel Network Map.

A 12-week public consultation running from May to June 2026 will allow people to review proposals for new and improved routes and suggest changes before the map is submitted to Welsh Ministers.

The consultation will also include targeted engagement to ensure a broad range of community views are represented.

The updated map will combine existing walking and cycling routes with proposals for future improvements, supporting the council’s ambition to make it easier for people to complete everyday journeys without relying on private cars.

Cardiff’s current Active Travel Network Map was approved by the Welsh Government in 2022, and the revised version must be submitted by December 2026.

The draft update includes several changes, including the addition of new routes completed since 2021 that meet Welsh Government standards. It also revises planned routes to reflect schemes that have already been delivered and aligns proposals with current council transport policies.

Under updated Welsh Government guidance, the new map places greater emphasis on improving and linking existing routes, rather than focusing primarily on creating entirely new ones.

Routes on the map include those already assessed for safety and quality, alongside proposed schemes ranging from short-term projects planned within five years to longer-term proposals spanning 10 to 15 years.

Once finalised, future schemes will be prioritised using a Transport for Wales scoring system, which considers factors such as access to schools, shops, public transport, healthcare facilities, population density and areas of deprivation.

Councillor Dan De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Transport and Climate Change, said the council wants to make walking and cycling a realistic option for everyday travel.

He said: “The Council is committed to building a network for both cyclists and pedestrians so that walking and cycling become attractive options for those who are able, instead of relying on travelling by car.

“The Active Travel Network Map supports wider goals to improve health and wellbeing, reduce congestion, cut air pollution and make it easier for people to travel around Cardiff safely and sustainably.”

Under the Active Travel (Wales) Act, councils across Wales must regularly review their active travel maps and show how they are improving routes for pedestrians, cyclists and people using wheelchairs or mobility aids.

Cardiff Council’s Cabinet will consider the updated proposals on 19 March, following scrutiny by the Environmental Committee on 12 March. Both meetings will be available to watch online.