Swansea approves first phase of £8m Tawe riverside Active Travel 2026

Key Points

• Swansea Council has been granted the go-ahead to construct the first stage of a 1.3km cycle and footpath on the west side of the River Tawe.
• The first stage will be 325 meters long, which will run from Coles Close near the Tawe bridges to the True Student riverside student complex, followed by an extension of 960m to White Rock Bridge for the second stage.
• The entire project is estimated to cost £8.2 million for three years and is being mainly funded by the Regional Transport Fund of the Welsh Government, supplemented by contributions from the UK Government and developers.
• There are apprehensions about the use of mopeds and anti-social behavior, but the council’s highways department has stated that there is no way to limit access in order to prohibit the use of the path by mopeds.
• The safety features will include low-level lighting for use at night or during the morning, emergency vehicle access, and landscaping of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
• The route is meant to connect the city center with the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site, Swansea.com Stadium and Morfa Retail Park in addition to the current 85 miles of shared paths in Swansea.

Swansea (Wales Times) September 02, 2026 – Plans for the first phase of a 1.3km uk/local/cardiff/riverside/">riverside cycle and footpath in south Wales which could cost £8 million have been approved.

The shared-use path on the west bank of the River Tawe will eventually connect the Tawe bridges area with White Rock Bridge, effectively linking the city with the former Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site and Swansea.com Stadium, according to reporting by Nation Cymru.

Concerns have been raised about moped riders potentially using the path and other anti-social behaviour, but an application by Swansea Council to build a 325m section has been given the go-ahead. This section will link Coles Close on the Tawe bridges end to a large riverside student complex called True Student. A future second phase will extend a further 960m to White Rock Bridge.

It is going to be an expensive project because of piling and retaining wall work. In April this year the council’s cabinet approved an £8.2 million budget over three years including surveys and project management. There is an existing shared-use path on the opposite side of the Tawe.

Low-level lighting will be installed to make the new path feel safe in the evenings and early mornings, a design and access statement submitted as part of the council’s application said. It added that there would be access for emergency vehicles if necessary.

What is the Swansea riverside Active Travel route?

The Swansea riverside Active Travel route is a proposed shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians along the west bank of the River Tawe, designed to improve connections between the city centre, the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks regeneration area, Swansea.com Stadium and Morfa Retail Park.

As reported by Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter for Nation Cymru, the active travel route will be built in three phases on the west bank of the river from a point north of the Tawe bridges to the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks area. The council’s cabinet formally approved funding for the project, which will take three years to complete, along with several other transport schemes at a meeting in April 2026.

Cllr Andrew Stevens, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said the new path would help open up the riverfront. The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the council why the path seemed to be such an expensive project, why it could not be done in less time and whether a section of existing shared-use path near the former copperworks would be incorporated in the new one.

The council said it would be a complex scheme in terms of engineering. “The works will include the provision of a new revetment to support the walkway, with elements of the work also needing to be constructed from barges due to access restrictions,” said a council spokesman. He said it would link up with the existing stretch of shared-use path near the copperworks – an area undergoing major restoration – and add to 85 miles of shared-use paths throughout Swansea.

How much will the Swansea riverside path cost and how is it funded?

A report before cabinet said the path would cost £8.25 million including design and project management costs and be paid for via £6.6 million of Welsh Government regional transport fund money, plus £1.4 million from the UK Government and a £250,000 developer contribution linked to a separate planning permission.

As reported by WalesOnline, the funding breakdown indicates that £6.6 million will be sourced from the Welsh Government through the Regional Transport Fund, £1.4 million from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, and £250,000 from a developer contribution. The undertaking is anticipated to require significant engineering efforts.

The Welsh Government’s 2026–27 regional transport grants list includes “Swansea – Inner Swansea Masterplan / Tawe Riverside Path: £1.6 million” for the current financial year, indicating phased allocation of the overall budget.

What safety and design features are included in the approved plans?

To enhance safety during evenings and early mornings, low-level lighting will be incorporated into the new pathway, as outlined in the council’s proposal. Additionally, it was mentioned that emergency vehicles would also have access if needed.

Planting of native trees and shrubs will occur in clusters, accompanied by the sowing of wildflowers along the verges and embankments. The council’s submission recognised that a portion of the existing pathway at the True Student development is substandard and does not align with Active Travel guidance, and this will be improved.

In a separate initiative, the council is working to restore two old engine houses located near White Rock Bridge, and plans for river pontoons are underway. Furthermore, this area will serve as a gondola base station for the Sky leisure attraction situated on the opposite side of the Tawe at Kilvey Hill.

What concerns have been raised about the Swansea riverside path?

There have been worries regarding the potential use of the path by moped riders and other forms of anti-social behaviour. Nevertheless, Swansea council has received approval to construct a 325-metre segment of the path. According to the council’s highways division, it is not feasible to limit access to the shared path in order to prevent unauthorized moped usage.

Public comments on Nation Cymru’s coverage have included questions about the cost per mile compared with countries such as the Netherlands, and whether the money could be better spent on other priorities such as child poverty and homelessness. Others have argued that the major cost relates to building a reinforced embankment on the west side of the Tawe, and have pointed to the existing cycle path on the east bank and missing links elsewhere in the network, such as access to the train station.

What other active travel and transport projects are planned in Swansea?

Other schemes benefiting from regional transport fund money are due to be implemented in Swansea in 2026–27, including a £750,000 e-bike hire scheme with up to 500 bikes. Cllr Stevens said the aim of the e-bike hire was to offer people a practical alternative for short trips and better links to public transport. The locations of where they will be available for hire were still to be determined.

Other projects to be delivered in 2026–27 include an £800,000 drainage scheme at Killay Square, Killay, a new £700,000 shared-use path linking Ffordd Beck, Gowerton, to Pont Y Cob Road less than a mile away, and a £500,000 upgrade of the shared-use path between Dunvant and Gowerton. There is also £370,000 for eight new rapid electric vehicle charge points proposed in Clydach, St Thomas, the SA1–Swansea Marina area and Port Eynon, and £175,000 for safety improvements on Gors Road, Townhill.

Also in the pipeline this financial year is a new average speed camera system on the A484 between the Cadle roundabout and Loughor Bridge, along with improved road markings and signs. Regional transport fund money will also be used to design future schemes such as a new park and ride site on Alamein Road, Landore, to replace the existing one by the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks, and a flood alleviation scheme on the A4118 between Llanddewi and Scurlage, Gower.

Background of the Swansea riverside Active Travel development

The Tawe riverside path has been discussed for several years as part of wider efforts to improve active travel infrastructure in Swansea and to support regeneration around the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks and Swansea waterfront. Work on the riverside path was indicated as due to get under way in the 2026–27 financial year, with the route by Swansea’s River Tawe identified as one of several transport projects awarded funding by the Welsh Government.

Public consultation on Swansea’s Active Travel Network Map took place in 2026, with a 12-week consultation before the map was finalised and submitted to the Welsh Government for approval. Schemes being delivered in 2026–27 include upgrades of a national cycle network between Dunvant and Gowerton and Gowerton and Loughor, costing £1.2 million, and the start of the new riverside route along the west bank of the Tawe which is expected to cost over £8 million and take three years to complete.

Prediction: how the Swansea riverside path could affect local residents and commuters

If delivered as planned, the Swansea riverside Active Travel route is likely to affect local residents, students, workers and leisure users by providing a new, traffic-free corridor between the city centre, the stadium and the copperworks regeneration area. For students at the True Student complex and staff at nearby employers, the path could offer a safer and more direct option for walking and cycling, potentially reducing short car trips and easing pressure on local roads.

For the wider community, the route may encourage more active travel and recreational use of the riverfront, particularly if lighting and landscaping make the path feel secure outside daylight hours. However, if concerns about moped use and anti-social behaviour are not managed effectively, some residents may be reluctant to use the path, which could limit its impact on travel patterns. Over time, the scheme’s success will depend on how well it integrates with existing paths, future phases to White Rock Bridge, and complementary measures such as the planned e-bike hire scheme.