Work To Begin On Delivering Cross Valley Link

Great news for Cynon Valley as plans to deliver Southern Cross Valley Link in Mountain Ash take a further step forward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Works will now begin to progress this major highway project which forms part of the Council’s planned 3 year capital investment in Highways and Strategic Projects totalling over £23m – bringing the total investment in these key areas to over £76m since 2011. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Highways, Transport and Strategic Projects Investment Programme is part of the Council’s wider £200m three year “RCT Invest” 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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Preparatory works are now underway with ground investigation and other works taking place in the coming month with a detailed planning application for the proposals set to be submitted in November 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The detailed report considered by Cabinet, confirms that further funding bids will then be submitted for construction to start in 2017, taking eighteen months to complete. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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

“The approval of this report by my Cabinet is a huge milestone for this project which has been aspiration for the Cynon Valley for many years. I am pleased we are able to deliver upon this ambition with the consideration of the steps necessary to submit a planning application. For the first time in the history of this proposal, actions are taking place on the ground to make this scheme a reality in the next three years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The £1.95M funding set aside by the Council and additional funding we have recently received means we can now develop this scheme in detail to take the project forward and significant activity will take place on site in the coming months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following the comprehensive traffic surveys and analysis which have taken place over the last year, we have been able to evidence that this proposal has the potential to reduce congestion on the key junctions in the area and reduce journey times on strategic and local routes. The analysis that has been undertaken has considered current and future traffic scenarios to simulate traffic levels. It anticipates that the bridge will carry over 1700 vehicles in each of the morning and afternoon peak hours in 2030. It is thanks to our strategic approach that we have been able to secure funding to deliver this scheme and secure the necessary future funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The project offers the opportunity to improve accessibility and connectivity in an area where limited cross valley linkage causes significant congestion on the local and strategic transport network affecting all highway users, including commercial delivery services and public transport. The committed funding from the Council will support development of the scheme and inform future bids for further funding via the annual grant approval process and any other available funding opportunities that may arise. I am keen for further funding towards this scheme to be made available later this year to secure the necessary additional funding needed for the Cross Valley Link.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following funding approval, the Council has commissioned Capita to develop a programme for scheme development and to deliver the packages of work necessary to take the project forward. From a land perspective, dialogue has been opened with local residents and land owners and legal processes will be progressed to allow Compulsory Purchase subject to statutory processes should the need arise. The main elements of work to be taken forward next include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Topographic/Drainage/Utilities surveys
• Ground Investigation
• Ecology
• Highways Design
• Structures Design
• Landscape Design
• Planning
• Flood Consequences Assessment
• Public Consultation
• Compulsory Purchase Order

Residents will see a range of site activity taking place in the next weeks and months including: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Topographical/etc surveys – early April commencement; circa 4 weeks duration
• Ecological Surveys – March commencement; circa 11 months duration (related to seasonal survey requirements)
• Ground Investigation – late April commencement; circa 4 weeks duration

These surveys will capture technical data which will inform technical analyses and generate reports which will subsequently inform scheme design and mitigation measures. Cabinet will now receive regular reports on the development of this project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​