A4059 Cynon Corridor Improvements Progress

Investment along the strategically important A4059 corridor, the main traffic artery through the Cynon Valley, is progressing well with several schemes complete and underway with others being developed and designed for construction next year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council is committed to improving traffic flows and reducing congestion and delays for the thousands of residents and businesses that rely on this strategic transport corridor every day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A range of projects are being developed and delivered from major investment projects such as the new Mountain Ash Cross Valley Link to smaller low cost high value localised improvements at pinch points and junctions that cause delays. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Lane widening and additional lanes at junctions and on approaches to roundabouts together with improvements the road and footway surfaces, highway drainage and flood alleviation mean that the network will be more efficient and resilient than in the past. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Key locations which historically have been affected by congestion such as: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At the Ynys roundabout; where a new dedicated south bound left-turn lane has been successfully completed.
At the Asda roundabout; where a new north-bound left-turn lane to Aberaman is being constructed and is due for completion shortly.
Design work is also underway to investigate the potential to improve traffic flows at the Cwmbach roundabout with the possibility of an extended left-turn lane to be constructed next year.
At Mountain Ash works are progressing well on surveys for the Cross Valley Link which is badly needed to help alleviate the traffic congestion along the A4059 at the current town bridge.
At the Troed Y Rhiw junction a new road layout is planned with dedicated left and right hand turn lanes to allow through traffic on the A4059 to proceed and not be delayed by vehicles waiting to turn at this busy junction. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition to these transport improvements, flood prevention works have been carried out along the Abercynon to Mountain Ash section of the A4059 at three locations to address long-standing flooding hot spots to improve the resilience of this road in bad weather. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The repair and restoration of the A4059 Mountain Ash footbridge will continue to provide pedestrians, including the pupils of Mountain Ash Comprehensive school, traffic free access which will safeguard and encourage sustainable travel. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The A4059 corridor of investment forms part of the £23m HTISP programme being delivered across the county borough by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council over the next three years – on top of the £53m already invested in RCT’s roads by the Council since 2011. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “The A4059 is the main transport corridor through the Cynon Valley. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Thousands of people a day rely on it being an effective route for them to carry out their business – from getting to and from work to going shopping. We know the concern congestion, queues and delays cause because people have told us. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The scale of the investment and range of the works we are delivering on this vital route is significant; this is part of the overall investment in transport we are making throughout RCT with works also taking place in Rhondda and Taff area. I am keen we continue this significant investment in transport in the coming year alongside the investment we can expect in the valleys through the Metro project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In the current financial climate we continue to show ambition to improve the infrastructure that sustains our communities and businesses and attracts new investment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We continue to seek to maximise available grants and funding streams and add further value with our own capital investments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“For example, we secured funding for improvements to the Ynys Roundabout from the development of the new college, by adding our own funding we were able to provide a substantial improvement to the roundabout which will benefit traffic flows and improve the access to the park and ride site for years to come. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Cabinet recognises 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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Whilst this work demonstrates the Council’s commitment to maintain and improve structures for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors alike, the targeted works are likely to cause disruptions to pedestrians and motorists and I would reassure our residents that every measure has been taken to minimise this where possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I would also like to urge residents to continue to support us whilst these essential works are carried out as it is for their longer term benefit.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Details of likely disruptions and updates will be posted on the Council’s social media sites where possible and residents are urged to follow/like the Council’s pages for up to date information. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​