Castle Street, Port Talbot
Introducing the street
Castle Street is in Aberavon, Port Talbot and is part of a large regeneration area. The street is used by shoppers using the nearby shopping centre and therefore residents are often left without sufficient parking places to park their own cars.
Residents complained of joy riders using the neighbourhood as a race track . The street is used extensively by pedestrians, as parents and children visit the nearby primary and secondary schools which was felt to be dangerous due to the high volume and speed of traffic. Castle Street had relatively high levels of car ownership with approximately 45 cars for 49 properties.
 |
 |
| Before | After |
Facts and background:
- Capital (build and materials) cost - £45,000 (£10,000 on art)
- Type - Terraced Victorian housing
- No. of dwellings - 49 properties
- Length of street - 129 Metres
- Project partnership between - Sustrans, Neath Port Talbot Borough Council and the residents of Castle Street.
- Funded by - Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Neath Port Talbot Borough Council
Timeline:
Project kick off: January 2008
Design process:March 2008 - December 2008
Construction: October 2009 - November 2009
Project end date: March 2010
Streets traffic issues:
- Parking by shoppers
- Traffic speeds
- Lack of safe play area
- Lack of greenery
- Insufficient recycling and litter collection
- Steep camber of road
- Insufficient number of street lights
Solutions found:
- A speed table has been added to act as an informal pedestrian crossing and as a traffic calming measure, causing drivers to slow down as they cross it.
- A build-out at one entrance to the street narrows the road, causing drivers to slow down while passing by it.
- One tree has been added to the street and a further three by the flyover at the end of the street, these help to break up the grey tarmac with colour and bring wildlife to the street.
- Two stone pillars have been added at the entranceway to act as a gateway feature.
- A litter pick day was held and Keep Wales Tidy has been on board and will continue to be contactable about any waste disposal concerns.