Swansea riverside walkway project to link city centre and waterfront in multi-year regeneration scheme
A new riverside walkway is set to be delivered in Swansea as part of a wider active travel and waterfront regeneration programme, creating a pedestrian and cycle route along the River Tawe between the city centre and key waterfront destinations.
credit: Swansea Council (jsonld)
The £8m scheme, which is part of a broader funding package to transform travel across Swansea, will form a mile-long shared-use path running along the west bank of the river. It is intended to improve active travel connections between Swansea city centre, the Copperworks heritage area and the Swansea.com Stadium, as well as nearby retail and leisure destinations.
The project is being funded through a combination of Welsh Government transport funding and UK Government support, alongside a smaller contribution linked to development activity in the wider area.
Swansea Council has said the walkway is part of a broader strategy to improve walking and cycling infrastructure across the city, linking existing routes and supporting long-term regeneration along the waterfront. The scheme is also expected to connect with other ongoing investment in the Tawe corridor and nearby brownfield redevelopment sites.
According to project information published by the council, the walkway will be delivered in three construction phases over a period of approximately three years. The phased approach has been adopted due to the engineering complexity of working along the river corridor and the need to maintain access in parts of the area during construction.
Some sections of the route will require specialist engineering methods, including construction from barges, due to restricted access along parts of the riverbank and the need to build new riverside retaining structures.
The route will connect existing and planned active travel infrastructure in the Tawe valley, building on earlier investment in riverside paths and regeneration schemes in the Copperworks and SA1 waterfront areas.
The walkway forms part of a wider pattern of waterfront regeneration in Swansea, which has seen investment in new housing, leisure developments and public realm improvements along the River Tawe and surrounding docklands.
Once complete, the project is expected to provide a continuous traffic-free route through a key part of the city, supporting both commuting and leisure travel while strengthening links between residential areas and the waterfront.