Active Travel funding for Llantrisant, Taff’s Well and Cwmbach projects
The Council has secured £210,000 Welsh Government funding to progress three Active Travel schemes across the County Borough – including a project to add new links to the Llantrisant Community Route.
The Welsh Government has informed the Council that its bid for funding from the Active Travel Fund 2018-19 – for schemes in Llantrisant, Taff’s Well and Cwmbach – has been successful. The Fund aims to boost walking and cycling provision in support of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013.
The Welsh Government has recently confirmed the Council has secured £250,000 to progress ambitious plans to re-open the Rhondda and Abernant Tunnels. Now, it has been confirmed the Council has secured an additional £210,000 Active Travel funding to create new links for pedestrians and cyclists to the Llantrisant Community Route, the Taff Trail at Taff’s Well and the Cynon Trail at Cwmbach.
The mile-long Llantrisant Community Route was completed in December 2017, providing a new shared cycling and walking footpath through Talbot Green. The additional Active Travel funding will help create three new links from the Route – into Glamorgan Vale Retail Park, and also into Green Park and Burgess Crescent. The links will provide easier access onto the Route for residents, and improve connectivity between residential and retail areas.
The Active Travel funding will also see the construction of a new footway built along the A4054 Cardiff Road between Taff’s Well and Nantgarw, providing a direct link to the Taff Trail and to Treforest Industrial Estate. In the Cynon Valley, the Active Travel funding will help install new street lighting and guard railing between Asda and Cwmbach Roundabouts – forming part of a new Cross Valley active travel route between Cwmbach and Aberaman.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Highways, said: “I am pleased the Council has secured important Welsh Government support for these Active Travel projects in Llantrisant, Taff’s Well and Cwmbach, to help improve links for pedestrians and cyclists. The Council fully supports the promotion of Active Travel, and last year submitted details to the Welsh Government of proposed pedestrian and cycling routes it plans to deliver over the next 15 years.
“Securing external investment for Highways schemes continues to be a priority for the Council – to contribute to our own significant investment in this area. Last year, more than £20m was provided for Highways and Transportation schemes, which is followed by the £23.6m Highways Capital Programme for 2018/19 now being delivered.
“The Llantrisant Community Route has proved very popular since it was completed at the end of 2017, following the removal of the disused railway line. The Council has now agreed details with relevant landowners to provide additional links onto the Route for the community, and support from the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund will help deliver these.
“The funding for the Taff Trail and Cynon Trail schemes is also welcome, as the Council continues to create additional walking and cycling provision within more communities. This includes increasing our Active Travel provision through our strategic Highways projects – a good recent example of this is the significant Beddau Halt junction improvements, which includes pedestrian crossing facilities and cycle provision.”
