AMBITIOUS plans have been mooted for a £100million cable car scheme linking Cardiff to Penarth.

Cardiff Business Council is asking an engineering firm to launch a feasibility study looking at options for a five-mile network linking the city centre, Cardiff Bay and Penarth.

The planned system would see passengers transported in gondolas along a route from Cardiff central train station.

If plans get off the ground, the gondolas would pass through the city's Central Square and Cardiff Bay before terminating in Penarth. Cardiff Business Council has been working on the project for 18 months and has already held talks with local government and investors.

The £100m scheme could carry as many as 2,500 passengers every hour along a five mile route.

CBC chairman Nigel Roberts, speaking to The Guardian newspaper, said: “We’ve been thinking and talking about this for the last 18 months. There are discussions in Cardiff of having a new tram system, monorail or bendy buses. Why not dream a bit bigger and go for cable cars? It would be phenomenal. There would be fantastic views across to the Devon coast and up the Bristol Channel. But it’s also a practical solution for commuters.”

Cardiff Business Council has spoken to URS, part of the global engineering and design company Aecom, about drawing up a feasibility study.

Mr Roberts added: “The cable car is a sensible alternative to a potential tram and would create an iconic project. With a cable car, you would have fantastic views, all the commuter traffic can use it, and it would be part of the city’s infrastructure as well as a tourist attraction.”

Paul Webber, director at consulting engineers Arup and a member of the CBC board, said that it could provide an opportunity to get around the city quickly and would be a tourist attraction to put Cardiff on the map.

He added that the next step was a proper feasibility study to look into costs, time taken and how to fund it.

South Wales Central AM, Andrew RT Davies, has welcomed ambitious plans that could see as many as 2500 passengers carried each hour, but could cost as much as £100m to build.

Mr Davies said: “Whilst there is a long, long way to go before these plans become reality, you can’t help but be excited by the prospect.

“Not only would a cable car attract tourists to the region, it could also attract public funding from a number of sources if it can be proven that it would be a viable public transport option.

“The Chancellor’s announcement of a potential Cardiff city deal could bring exciting projects like this closer to reality, and whilst an element of private money would be required the UK government is making transformational ideas like this a possibility.”

The Vale-resident AM also expressed his excitement at the planned route:

“Nigel Roberts’ plans will be a mouth-watering prospect for many people in the region.

“The views across the channel would be beautiful on a sunny day and it would be an extremely attractive way to link Cardiff with this part of the Vale.”

Councillor Lis Burnett, cabinet member for regeneration at the Vale council, said the plans would bring positive benefits to Penarth and the wider Vale.

Tracey Alexander, a committee member of Penarth Civic Society, said they were excited by the plans, but were concerned that if the cable car system stopped at Penarth Marina it would bring little benefit to the town centre and Esplanade.

She added this could be done by a regular transport links, such as a minibus, or extending the cable car link around Penarth Head.