Maerdy Mountain Road essential works
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will carry out essential landslip remediation works at Maerdy Mountain Road this summer, while taking the opportunity to improve the entire route in a major investment.
A landslip caused by prolonged rainfall occurred during December 2015 at the Aberdare end of the road. The damaged area grew in January 2016 after further wet weather. That affected a 150m stretch of road – and single lane traffic light control over 200m has since been required in the area, to allow investigations and the development of a plan to repair the road.
The significant landslip stabilisation works require a full road closure. The road will close for 24 hours-a-day from Monday, July 10, and is scheduled to re-open during September.
Taking advantage of the full road closure, the Council will carry out wider improvements with a significant investment through #RCTinvest. This will include full road re-surfacing, repair and replacement of dry stone retaining walls and drainage improvements.
As a result of a successful bid for Welsh Government Road Safety Funding Grant, the scheme will also include a range of improvements to the safety of the route such as hazard markings, road re-marking, new reflective roadstuds and measures to reduce the potential for standing water.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Highways, said: “Maerdy Mountain Road is a key route linking the Rhondda and Cynon valleys, and temporary traffic lights have been in place since the landslip.
“The full road closure will cause disruption to commuters but this essential piling work, with large machinery to stabilise the mountain, must be completed. To minimise disruption, the work is scheduled after the school exam period, and six weeks of the closure is during the school summer holiday when it is envisaged that less traffic will be on the road.
“Taking advantage of the necessary road closure, the Council has decided to invest in the wider mountain road with a comprehensive package of works –including re-surfacing the entire road.
“It follows similar works at Rhigos Mountain Road, which has seen the completion of a £1.5m investment to re-surface the road over the past two summers. These works show that the Council is committed to investing in and future-proofing its highways as a priority area in #RCTinvest.”
During the works, advanced signage advising drivers to use alternative routes will be in place on all approaches to Maerdy Mountain Road.
The Council has worked with Stagecoach, the operator of the 172 bus service to Porthcawl, which uses Maerdy Mountain Road. A shuttle service numbered 172C will operate to and from Aberdare Bus Station, connecting with the 172 service at Tonypandy Bus Station for journeys to and from Tonyrefail, Bridgend and Porthcawl, and Penrhys, Ferndale and Maerdy.
More information on these temporary bus service changes is available here.
The Council will be liaising with school bus service operators that use the Maerdy Mountain route, and once the timings are agreed parents of the pupils affected will be notified.
During the works, updates will be provided by the Council through its social media accounts – @RCTCouncil on Twitter and Rhondda Cynon Taf Council on Facebook – and through its website, www.rctcbc.gov.uk.
