£23m Highways Investment Programme to Benefit Aberdare
Ynys roundabout, Aberdare is set to be one of the first areas to benefit from Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s multi-million-pound (£23m) Highways, Transportation, Infrastructure and Strategic Projects (HTISP) Investment Programme.
This strategic roundabout will see works carried out to create a new dedicated left turn lane towards Cwmbach, which will decrease the affect of traffic turning left on the remaining traffic wishing to continue straight on.
The works are set to begin on Monday 16th May and last for an estimated 4 weeks. In order to carry out these works, two-way-traffic will be maintained by narrow lanes and a series of overnight closures will be in place (weather dependant) from 8pm on 9th June to 6am on 10th June and from 8pm on 10th June to 6am on 11th June or until the works are complete. This will minimise disruption to road users at peak times.
These works are part funded by Coleg y Cymoedd and will help ensure traffic flows freely when the new site, near Robertstown, Aberdare, is completed in late 2017.
The remaining funding has been allocated from the £23m investment scheme which is set to run over the next three years and is part of the wider £200m RCTinvest scheme. This multi-million-pound project sees the Council allocate significant funds to its key priority areas, including; Leisure and Outdoor Leisure Facilities, Play Areas, Highways and Structures, Transport Infrastructure, Flood Alleviation, Schools, Recycling Facilities, Housing and Town and Village Centres.
Over £53m has already been invested in improving and repairing the County Borough’s Highways and Transportation Infrastructures and on Strategic Projects since 2011.
The HTISP Investment scheme will see a number of streets, roads, towns and villages right across the County Borough benefit as work is now ploughing ahead to tackle key areas.
This work demonstrates Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's commitment to maintain and improve the road infrastructure for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors alike.
Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Councillor Andrew Morgan, who is also Cabinet Member for Highways, said:
"The Council and its Cabinet has recognised the concerns expressed by the public and the importance of investing in our key priorities, that is why we have allocated £200m over the next three years to improve areas such as Leisure and Outdoor Leisure Facilities, Play Areas, Highways and Structures, Transport Infrastructure, Flood Alleviation, Schools, Recycling Facilities, Housing and Town and Village Centres.
“Myself and my Cabinet wholeheartedly agree that improvements to our highways and structures continue to be a key priority when it comes to allocating our financial resources.
“We will be investing over £23m in Highways Improvements, Infrastructure, and Strategic Projects over the next three years – this is on top of the £53m we have already invested since 2011 meaning that by 2018/19 we will have invested over £76m in these key areas in less than a decade.
“The latest planned schemes demonstrate the Council’s commitment to investing in the Highways and Transport Infrastructure across the County Borough.
“First and foremost, £0.5m of this money has been allocated solely to tackle pot holes, which is in addition to the £0.8m revenue that is already allocated as part of the biggest investment in road repairs in over a decade – that’s a total of £1.3m to tackle pot holes alone during 2016/17.
“Repairing pot holes is as much of a priority for the Council as it is for its residents and we will be sending out dedicated teams to all areas of the County Borough to address the problem as quickly as possible.
“The remaining funds have been allocated to tackle Highways Improvements, (including drainage, footways, fencing/barriers and town and village centre regeneration), Structures, Transportation (including metro), Making Better Use and Flooding and drainage schemes.”
The targeted works are likely to cause some minor disruptions to those in their immediate vicinity. The Council would like to urge residents to continue to support us whilst these essential works are carried out as it is for their longer term benefit.
AberdareOnline would add why was this not thought about when the initial work was carried out on this busy road junction that had substantial alterations when the new school and Sobell Center was construct.
It would seem there is no one looking into the long-term highway problems within RCT work is done piecemeal and costing council taxpayers more in the long term.
