Clifton Street is a shadow of its former self since the council introduced a one way system about a year ago, which has effectively strangled the flow of traffic to the area. Whilst its true that some kind of regeneration is taking place, with a couple of businesses willing to take the risk of opening up shop in recent times, the future of many of the others still looks uncertain.
It is hard to know what will ultimately happen to this once thriving street. Some traders believe that the council will return the two way flow of traffic whilst others remain convinced that they won't. But there is one thing that they all agree on, and this is that they have all suffered dramatic falls in trade since the new system was brought into effect.
I am at a loss to understand the thinking behind the decision to change the traffic flow to Clifton Street. It used to be the bridge between Splott and the rest of the city. Splott is a land-locked area surrounded by an unforgiving rail network, with only one major bridge allowing vehicles to access and exit it in the direction of the city centre. Clifton Street was the obvious route of choice, being situated within a matter of meters from the bridge, and because it presented an attractive proposition. Car owners could stop off at the shops before heading off to their ultimate destination.
Drivers can still use Clifton Street to access Splott, but many prefer to use a different route. It is not possible to turn right onto Clifton Street when exiting the city centre on Newport Road, one of the main arterial roads that feeds the city, and so anyone emerging from the centre is sure to take an alternate route. Because Clifton Street cannot be accessed by road from the direction of Splott, all of the traffic that used to use the street from here, is now directed down a non-commercial street, taking it ever further away. Even people that have made their way onto the street with their cars, having negotiated the sophisticated obstacle course in their efforts to patronise the businesses of their choice, regularly have to leave the street empty handed. If they cannot find a parking space they are forced to exit the street and use a road that will make it unfeasible to try and re-enter Clifton Street, taking them further toward the city centre where they eventually meet Newport Road, and so even if they turn right and head out of town they still can't turn right onto Clifton Street, and have to drive passed it and its tyrannical no entry signs, thwarted).
I visited Clifton Street a couple of weeks ago when the mood amongst the traders was even more sombre than usual. The owner of the Salad Bar, one of the many deeply troubled businesses on this street, had dropped down dead aged forty whilst visiting family in his native Portugal. Rumour has it that he and his wife had begun the construction of a house back home, and intended to return to Portugal when it was complete. It makes you wonder what kind of financial burden the couple were under considering the huge loss of income the new road system had caused. But, when all is said and done, it doesn't do to speculate about these things so soon after the loss of a loved one, and instead, I'd like to extend my offer of condolences to the family. read more