£23m Investment In Highways Announced

Over £53m has already been invested in improving and repairing the County Borough’s Highways and Transportation Infrastructures and on Strategic Projects since 2011 and, thanks to the recent announcement by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council that a further sum of over £23m will be invested as part of the three year capital programme, works are now set to continue. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following Cabinet approval of the 2016/17 Highways, Transportation and Strategic Projects supplementary capital programme, a number of streets, roads, towns and villages right across the County Borough will all reap the benefits of the Council’s latest investment in these key areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Highways, Transport and Strategic Projects Investment Programme is part of the Council’s wider £200m three year investment programme and is a series of vital works which need to be carried out to improve the highways and transport infrastructure across the County Borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This work demonstrates Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s commitment to maintain and improve the road infrastructure for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors alike. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Councillor Andrew Morgan, who is also Cabinet Member for Highways, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Council and its Cabinet has recognised the concerns expressed by the public and the importance of investing in our key priorities, that is why we have allocated £200m over the next three years to improve areas such as Leisure and Outdoor Leisure Facilities, Play Areas, Highways and Structures, Transport Infrastructure, Flood Alleviation, Schools, Recycling Facilities, Housing and Town and Village Centres. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Myself and my Cabinet wholeheartedly agree that improvements to our highways and structures will always be a key priority when it comes to allocating our financial resources. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We will be investing over £23m in Highways Improvements, Infrastructure, and Strategic Projects over the next three years – this is on top of the £53m we have already invested since 2011 meaning that by 2018/19 we will have invested over £76m in these key areas in less than a decade. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The latest planned schemes demonstrate the Council’s commitment to investing in the Highways and Transport Infrastructure across the County Borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“First and foremost, £0.5m of this money has been allocated solely to tackle pot holes, which is in addition to the £0.8m revenue that is already allocated as part of the biggest investment in road repairs in over a decade – that’s a total of £1.3m to tackle pot holes alone during 2016/17. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Repairing pot holes is as much of a priority for the Council as it is for its residents and we will be sending out dedicated teams to all areas of the County Borough to address the problem as quickly as possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The remaining funds have been allocated to tackle Highways Improvements, (including drainage, footways, fencing/barriers and town and village centre regeneration), Structures, Transportation (including metro), Making Better Use and Flooding and drainage schemes.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carriageway Improvements are set to see £3.5m investment during 2016/17, with key scheme, such as Rhigos Mountain Road (£1.25m), A4059 Penderyn to Boundry (£0.145m), Llantrisant Road, Tonyrefail (£0.210m) and A4233 (£0.120m) benefitting alongside a further 64 streets and roads. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flood Alleviation and Drainage Improvements will see £0.851m invested, with drainage issues along Lletty Turner Bends, A4059 (£0.085m), flooding issues around Cross Keys, Nantgarw (£0.140m) and drainage issues around Heol Cregiau, Efail Isaf (£0.050M) all being included in the works programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Traffic Management Works will see £0.175m invested to improve disabled persons parking permits (£0.010m) as well as tackling residents parking schemes (£0.040m), road safety schemes (£0.046m) and improving signs and markings (£0.056m). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Making Better Use Programme will see £1.073m investment to improve and upgrade existing schemes and areas around the County Borough, key schemes will include the widening of the left lane on the A4059 Asda roundabout (£0.1m), A4119, Tonypandy junction and signal improvements (£0.150m), the creation of new southbound left turn filter on Ynys Roundabout, A4059 (£0.173m) and Bridge Street roundabout, Pontypridd improvements (£0.140m). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The targeted works are likely to cause some minor disruptions to those in their immediate vicinity. The Council would like to urge residents to continue to support us whilst these essential works are carried out as it is for their longer term benefit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​