Cabinet Agree Options For Repair Of Maerdy Mountain

Cabinet has agreed plans for a major structural repair of the Maerdy Mountain road, which will see enhancements costing between £1M and £1.5M undertaken next summer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After a landslip on December 31, 2015, and further slippage during January 2016, extensive ground testing works have been undertaken to establish the extent of the problem and to inform Cabinet of repair options. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Councillor Andrew Morgan, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Since the landslip occurred, officers have been working with contractors to stabilise the road and keep it open while the necessary investigative works were undertaken. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Maerdy Mountain Road links Rhondda and Cynon valleys and also provides access from Rhondda Fach to the Heads of the Valleys Road so it is a priority that the road is fully repaired but done so causing as little disruption as possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The ground testing works have now been completed and the report, which outlines what now needs to be done to repair the road, has been considered by Cabinet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In order to fully repair Maerdy Mountain and to future-proof it as far as possible against further landslips, it is estimated that a significant investment of between £1M and £1.5M will be required. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Given how important this road is, it is a priority to get it fully repaired and a future report will come to Cabinet to seek approval for the funding required to do so. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The landslip was caused by issues with surface and ground water on the mountain during a period of prolonged and heavy rainfall. To prevent this happening again, investigations are progressing on an extensive new drainage system, which will need time to be designed prior to being implemented on the mountain side. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Cabinet has agreed for the repair works to be carried out next summer, to allow the required time for design works. As this is the quietest time of the year in terms of the number of cars on the road, and given there will need to be a full road closure at some point, repairing the road during this period will cause the least disruption to motorists. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“During the closure, Cabinet has also agreed to take the opportunity to carry out wider works such as extensive resurfacing of the road, repairing and rebuilding the stone walls and renewing cats eyes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Clearly a full road closure on Maerdy Mountain will have an impact on motorists but, as with the works which have recently benefitted Rhigos Mountain Road, we will work to minimise disruption and keep residents and motorists fully informed and updated.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the landslip in December 2015 and further slippage in January 2016, a successful application was made to Welsh Government for funding to stabilise the road and keep it open. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Traffic management has been in place since the landslip to stabilise the mountain road whilst also keeping it open for motorists during investigative works. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Investigative works have identified that an investment of between £1M and £1.5M will be needed to fully repair the road and future proof it from further landslips. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following Cabinet approval a further report will now need to be considered in order to allocate the necessary funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​