Somerset Street, Cardiff
Introducing the street
Somerset Street is a short row of terraced houses found near the centre of Cardiff in North Grangetown. A green space has recently been developed close to the street as part of the area's regeneration programme.
Residents are concerned about noise levels and safety issues caused by inappropriate use of "mini motos" in their street. There are also concerns related to resident parking.
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Facts and background:
- Capital (build and materials) cost - £150,000 (£54,000) Cardiff resurfaced the carriageway, significantly upgraded pavement surfaces and replaced street lighting as well as implementing DIY Streets features. The total cost was £150,000 while the comparable cost with other DIY Streets projects (where resurfacing didn't take place) would be £54,000
- Type - Terrace Victorian housing
- No. of dwellings - 50 Properties
- Length of street - 141 Metres
- Project partnership between - Sustrans, Cardiff City Council and the residents of Somerset Street.
- Funded by - Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Cardiff City Council
Timeline:
Project kick off: September 2007
Design process: February 2008 - August 2008
Construction: August 2009 - October 2009
Project end date: March 2010
Streets traffic Issues:
- Speeding traffic
- Litter
- Traffic noise from mini motos
- Worries over high level of non-resident parking in the street
Solutions found:
- Three build-outs have been built in the street (one filled with plants and the other two with trees) to act as speed deterrents as traffic is forced to slow down to navigate around them.
- Mosaics have been placed around the tree bases to brighten up the street and give it a unique identity.
- A raised table has been laid down in the centre of the street to further reduce drivers' speeds.
- Trees and plants have been added to provide greenery and break up the grey tarmac.