The new line is subject to funding, but could catalyse significant further extension to the system if approved.
Connecting the existing Cardiff Bay tracks with a route through Callaghan Square and on to Cardiff Central railway station, the proposed expansion will also require a new two-platform station at the existing mainline terminus.
Cardiff Bay will also see an additional platform introduced, bringing the station’s total to three including one currently being developed as part of the South Wales Metro improvements. If all plans go ahead, it will be the first time Cardiff Central and the Bay have had a rail connection.
Transport for Wales [TfW] eventually wants the scheme to connect northwestern and eastern suburbs, linking up with a new Parkway railway station, another major transport investment for the Welsh capital which has yet to be greenlit.
‘The Cardiff Crossrail project has been a long-held ambition for a long time and when fully complete will connect some of the most deprived communities in Cardiff to the railway network for the first time,’ said Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport at Cardiff Council.
‘To start this process, the first phase of the scheme must be built between Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay,’ they continued. ‘This will finally ensure that Butetown is properly connected to the city centre, through the new tramway, providing further capacity for residents and visitors to access the wide range of attractions that Cardiff has to offer. We want the public to engage in the consultation process, so they can give their feedback on the very first phase of this exciting project.’
You can watch computer generated footage of the proposed Crossrail below.