Swansea - Transport

Transport

See also: Transport in Wales

The M4 motorway crosses though Swansea (junctions 44 to 47 inclusive). The A48, formerly a trunk road, passes through the north of the city centre, through Llansamlet and past Morriston. The A48 and the M4 connect Swansea with other towns and cities including Port Talbot, Bridgend, Cardiff, Bristol and London to the east and Llanelli and Cross Hands to the west. The A483 passes though the city centre, providing a link to the Heads of Valleys Road to the west. On departing to the north, the A483 continues through mid-Wales via towns like Ammanford, Builth Wells and Newtown and terminates at Chester. The A4067 (Swansea Valley Road) links Swansea with settlements in the Swansea Valley and continues towards Brecon. Park and Ride services are operated from car parks at Landore, Fabian Way and Fforestfach. During busy periods of the year, additional Park and Ride services are operated from the Brynmill recreation ground.

Bus routes within Swansea are operated predominately by First Cymru and Veolia Transport Cymru, originating from Swansea bus station. First operates the Swansea Metro, a road-based FTR bus rapid transit route, introduced between Morriston Hospital and Singleton Hospital in 2009, and a shuttle bus (Service 100) to Cardiff Central bus station calling at Bridgend Designer Outlet. Veolia operates the rural services around the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw Valley branded Gower Explorer and Lliw Link respectively. Swansea is on the X40 Cardiff to Aberystwyth TrawsCambria bus route connecting the west and south of Wales. National Express serves Swansea operating eastbound to Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol, and westbound to Llanelli, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest.

There are four dedicated cycle routes in the local authority's area:

  • Swansea Bay: The Maritime Quarter to the Knab Rock near the Mumbles Pier.
  • Clyne Valley Country Park: Blackpill to Gowerton forming part of National Cycle Network, Route 4.
  • Along the east bank of the River Tawe forming the start of National Cycle Network, Route 43, which continues northwards to Builth Wells.
  • Adjacent to the Fabian Way: Forming part of National Cycle Network, Route 4 and extending as the Celtic Trail to Chepstow and (eventually) London.

City cruiser pedal vehicles are being introduced to the city centre in a joint venture between the council and Swansea Business Improvement District.

In November 2007 a new bridge was completed over the Fabian Way which provides a one way park and ride bus lane and a shared-use pedestrian and NCN route 4 cycle way. The leaf-shaped bridge was shortlisted for the 2008 Structural Steel Design Awards.

Swansea railway station is located 10 minutes from Swansea bus station by foot. Services calling at Swansea operate to Llanelli, Carmarthen, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest to the west, Shrewsbury to the north, and Cardiff Central (for connections to England and beyond), Newport and London Paddington to the east. There are also suburban stations in Gowerton, Llansamlet and in Pontarddulais which are served by Arriva Trains Wales.

Swansea Airport is a minor aerodrome situated in the Gower providing recreational flights only. Further development of the airport is strongly resisted by the local communities and environmental groups. Swansea is served by Cardiff Airport, 44 miles (71 km) east, in the Vale of Glamorgan, which provides scheduled domestic and international flights. It is approximately 40 minutes away by road or 70 minutes by rail. Pembrey Airport, 17 miles (27 km) to the west offers charter flights to a few European destinations.

Swansea Marina to the south of the city centre has berths for 410 leisure boats. An addition 200 berths for leisure boats are located near the mouth of the River Tawe. Further leisure boating berths are being constructed at the Prince of Wales Dock in the Swansea Docks complex. The Swansea Docks complex is owned and operated by Associated British Ports and is used to handle a range of cargo ranging from agribulks and coal to timber and steel. Swansea Docks consists of three floating docks and a ferry terminal.

Fastnet Line operate the Swansea Cork Ferry roll-on/roll-off service. There is three services in each direction from September to June and four services in each direction from July to August. A new catamaran-based passenger ferry service from Ilfracombe to Swansea was scheduled to begin in Easter 2010 with two return trips a day taking around 50 minutes each way, it would also have had facilities to carry cycles.

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