Maindy Centre extensions opened

Cardiff Council have proudly opened their new Road Safety Centre and additional leisure facilities at Maindy. The stunning extension and refurbishment, which cost in the order of £1.25 million to complete, has enhanced the existing facility and offers a diverse range of activities and road safety educational courses which are available to the local community.

The new Road Safety Centre which is unique within the UK provides a wide range of road safety programmes from school crossing patrol training to mature driver refresher courses which have been developed for individuals to experience simulated real life situations. The new centre aims to provide invaluable road safety education including pedestrian, cycle and driving training to individuals either beginning or even furthering their road safety education by using driving simulators, external traffic features such as pedestrian crossings, roundabouts and traffic signals.

The centre is also the base for the administration and training of Cardiff Councils School Crossing Patrol service. Cardiff has over 100 school crossing patrol sites and this function is extremely important at ensuring the safety of thousands of children every school day, across some of the busiest streets in Cardiff in all weather conditions.

As a result of hard work that has taken place by all those involved in road safety, casualties throughout Wales and indeed Cardiff have fallen to record low numbers in recent years. The new Road Safety Centre will help to ensure that this downward trend continues and Cardiff residents in particular will receive an even better road safety service in the years to come.

Modern additions to the Leisure facility include a larger gym, upgraded BMX track, state-of-the-art interactive studio, which contains Extreme Interactive bikes, touch sensitive dance mats.

The new facility reopened to the public on the 1st August and hundreds of people have already come to view the new features and take part in the many activities and courses on offer. Since then, around 40 people a day have been using the Road Safety Centre and additional leisure facilities.

Cllr. Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said “The opening of the new Road Safety Centre and additional leisure facilities marks another stage in the commitment of Cardiff Council to provide the absolute best in leisure and road safety services to the local community.”

Photograph: Cllr Nigel Howells, Ruth Chapman, Chief Officer, Lady Mayoress & Lord Mayor