Revised Plans for Cynon Valley Bypass to Proceed After Halt

Revised plans for a Cynon Valley bypass are going to be drawn up after the scheme had been previously been put on hold.
Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council leader Councillor Andrew Morgan said that following positive discussions with the Welsh Government, RCT Council is to review the plans for the Cynon Gateway North (A4059 to the A465) with a view to now going ahead with the scheme.
The aim of the revised scheme is to provide a boost to the economy and connectivity in the upper Cynon Valley as well as reducing carbon and minimising environmental impacts.
In March 2022 the council’s planning committee gave its support to the Cynon Gateway North project but it couldn’t approve it because it was subject to a “call in” for potential consideration by Welsh Government.
The issues surrounding the Cynon Gateway North raised at the planning committee were around the volume of traffic in the villages of Llwydcoed and Penywaun, pollution, large vehicles travelling through and the safety of children and elderly people crossing the road.
Those against it cited environmental concerns in terms of noise and pollution, the impact on wildlife, the loss of farming land and ancient woodland and the impact on the Special Landscape Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Then in February 2023, the scheme was halted due to the Welsh Government’s roads review as it was on a list of “local authority” schemes which the Welsh Government said wouldn’t be funded at that time but would be considered in future rounds of transport grant funding if they met the new tests for road building.
A freeze on new developments was announced in June 2021 and the Cynon Gateway North project was one of more than 50 road building schemes across Wales affected by the February 2023 announcement following the publication of a wide-ranging roads review by a panel of experts.
But now Cllr Morgan has said the agreement to progress a review and redesign of the Aberdare scheme using the principles developed as part of the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor is a “significant step forward.”
He said that the redesign of the scheme in Llanharan has hugely reduced built-in carbon and has been reviewed to minimise environmental impact.
Cllr Morgan said: “As a council we have been clear that a link between the current A4059 and the A465 is imperative for the economy and connectivity of the upper Cynon Valley.
“We are also clear that without this link, the community of Llwydcoed will be detrimentally impacted with through traffic off the dualled Heads of the Valleys Road.
“I’m pleased that following a series of meetings with the local community
and local ward councillors, along with meetings with Ken Skates as the
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and the lobbying support of Vikki
Howells MS, we have reached a position where work will be undertaken
to progress a scheme for the area that uses the shared learning from the
redesign of the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor, where we
work to value engineer the scheme to reduce built-in carbon from day
one and minimise any environmental impacts but still deliver for the
wider community.”
Cynon Valley MS Vikki Howells  said: “I have campaigned consistently for the Cynon Gateway North alongside the residents of Llwydcoed and local councillors so am very pleased that, following a constructive meeting between myself, Cllr Andrew Morgan and Ken Skates MS, the recently appointed Welsh
Secretary for Transport, a refreshed scheme will now be developed.
“This scheme will reduce the congestion, pollution and road traffic
hazards impacting on the village of Llwydcoed and deliver enhanced
connectivity and economic potential for the upper Cynon Valley.
“As plans progress, I look forward to continuing to engage with the community so we can make sure the proposals that are developed work for them.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​