Castle Street in Cardiff has reopened to private traffic for the first time since last summer.
The city centre road was closed in July 2020 and became an al-fresco dining area, before reopening to just buses and taxis last autumn.
Cardiff Council then announced in June plans to reopen the road to all traffic, after fears the closure was leading to higher rates of air pollution in nearby residential streets as traffic was diverted out of the city centre.
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The controversial decision to reopen the road split public opinion, with many drivers complaining of increased congestion on nearby streets like Cathedral Road, while environmental campaigners called for more space to be given to pedestrians and cyclists.
A major consultation was held in the spring to find out whether the public wanted Castle Street reopened to private motor vehicles or kept as it was - with 53.8% of the 6,227 respondents wanting it to reopen and 33.8% wanting to keep it closed.
The reopening of Castle Street coincides with the nearby Westgate Street being closed to through traffic, with a new bus gate installed on the road.
The new bus gate, at the southern end of the street, will mean Westgate Street can now only be used as a through route for buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians.
It means anybody driving through in a private vehicle could be fined £75.
Residents living on the street will be able to drive to their homes from the north, while all access to off-street car parks will also be from the north.
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