Plans to extend the relief road for the Rhondda Fach should remain on the table despite the Welsh Government moratorium on building new roads
That was one of the recommendations from the overview and scrutiny committee working group which was tasked with looking into the development of future transport infrastructure in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
A report was presented to full council on Wednesday, January 19 which included the group’s recommendation that “consideration continues to be provided” to the extension of the Rhondda Fach relief road.
Read more: You can find more stories from across Rhondda Cynon Taf here.
Councillors Robert Bevan and Mark Adams who represent Tylorstown had submitted the project to the working group among eight submissions as part of a call for evidence to explore options for the future development of transport infrastructure in RCT.
It would involve extending the Rhondda Fach relief road to Maerdy (phase two) and to the Rhigos Mountain Top (phase three) consisting of a three section extension to Ferndale, to the Salisbury Hotel to Maerdy and link from Maerdy to the Heads of the Valleys.
The council’s response to the submission was that both phases can be classified as major road schemes, with phase two included as a long term aspiration in the current South East Wales Valleys Local Transport Plan.
The council said: “If progressed further, both phases will be subject to the Welsh Government’s business case process, prior to any planning and design being undertaken and alignment identified.
“The business case process would provide evidence of the economic, social and environmental cases for developing these particular road schemes.
“However, any decision to proceed further must take account of the legislation and policies governing climate change, alternative measures that will improve public transport provision along the Rhondda Fach and the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
“It should be noted that the Welsh Government has recently placed a moratorium on proceeding with new road schemes, pending a full review.”
The working group’s report said that while recognising that the recent “moratorium” by Welsh Government upon the funding of future highway developments would prevent progress of this scheme into reality, the “development of enhanced integrated transport networks, should be a key objective in improving the economic well-being of residents.”
It added: “When considering the wider development of transport infrastructure in future years, in the context of tackling climate change, the working group was of the view that selected roads schemes remain important and justified, where they support economic growth and compliment wider transport behavioural change being undertaken.”
The group noted that Welsh Government has initiated a review of all road schemes under the climate change agenda including projects that are subject to the Welsh Government’s business case process.
At the council meeting, Councillor Pauline Jarman asked if the Rhondda Fach relief road corridor of interest is still available after the Tylorstown landslip and if it’s good practice to include it in the Local Development Plan because of the moratorium on new road building in Wales.
She said they all want to improve transport links in the Rhondda Fach but it’s better to be open about it if it’s a non starter.
The working group was set up after a notice of motion from the Plaid Cymru group at full council in September 2019 was referred to overview and scrutiny committee.
This called on the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and Transport for Wales to commit to extending the Aberdare railway line to Hirwaun and the Treherbert line to Tynewydd subject to full consultation with the public and other stakeholders on the location of the station so that it is accessible and fully utilised.
The report to full council said that members of the overview and scrutiny committee working group recognised that that the essence of the notice of motion needed to be considered in the wider context and against progress of the new Welsh Transport Strategy; Llwybr Newydd, South Wales Metro, WG (Welsh Government) funded studies and many local projects.
The working group acknowledged that the integrated transport map of south Wales is swiftly changing and evolving and it recommended that the council and regional transport authority reviews all potential infrastructure, including rapid transport and active travel in the wider context of the revised LDP.
The working group also recommended that all pipe-line projects are fully evaluated, and that priority is given to integrated public transport to support greener means of travel across the region
They also concluded that “considering the eight submissions and key queries raised by local members and stakeholders, members noted the benefits of undertaking further feasibility studies and analysis of each submission to understand any potential financial costs which will only become known following more detailed study and analysis.”
They proposed that, in view of the wider remit of the working group, a report is presented to the overview and scrutiny committee to show that the broader scope has been considered.
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