Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) has effectively cancelled the Ferndale–Tylorstown bypass — a road that was part of the council’s own previously committed transport plan — and replaced it with an active travel footpath for cyclists and walkers. Residents are understandably frustrated, as this was a promised commitment that has now been quietly dropped in favour of active travel ideology.
The Cynon Gateway North Situation
Eight months ago (around September/October 2025), RCTCBC put out a tender notice for the long-delayed Cynon Gateway North link road, with:
- Contractor registration deadline: 15 October 2025
- Tenders to be invited: 3 November 2025
- Construction start: May 2026
- Duration: Three years
It is now 28 May 2026 — construction should theoretically be starting right now — yet there is no visible progress or public update on this scheme. Given the council’s current direction of travel (pun intended), residents would be right to ask whether this project is actually proceeding or whether it too is at risk of being quietly shelved.
Today’s Active Travel Announcement
The council has launched a public consultation on its Active Travel Network Map, running from 29 May to 20 August 2026, covering:
- Existing walking and cycling routes
- Proposed new routes
Funding received includes:
- £390,000 — active travel minor works, scheme development and network map promotion
- £660,000 — active travel design for the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor
- £298,000 — pedestrian improvements in Penywaun (Safe Routes in Communities)
- £12 million — the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route (nearing completion, final Ferndale–Tylorstown section imminent)
The Legitimate Grievance
The frustration residents feel is well-founded for several reasons:
- Broken commitments — The bypass was in RCTCBC’s own plans. Scrapping it without meaningful consultation and replacing it with a cycle path is a significant breach of trust.
- Unadopted roads — The council has a substantial backlog of unadopted roads that residents have been waiting years for the council to adopt and maintain. Pouring millions into active travel while neglecting these is a clear prioritisation choice.
- Usage reality — Active travel infrastructure in the South Wales valleys, with their steep terrain, dispersed communities, and limited public transport connectivity, sees far lower usage than equivalent schemes in flat urban areas. Whether a 10km Rhondda Fach cycle route justifies £12 million in a deprived area with crumbling road infrastructure is a legitimate question.
- Welsh Government pressure — Much of this is driven by Welsh Government policy and ring-fenced active travel funding. Councils are required to map and develop active travel routes, which means RCTCBC’s hands are partly tied — but that doesn’t excuse cancelling road schemes that were their own commitments.
Bottom Line
RCTCBC appears to be following Welsh Government funding streams enthusiastically while allowing road-based commitments to quietly wither. The consultation announced today looks like a tick-box exercise for a direction of travel that has already been decided.
Public consultation on walking and cycling routes
The Council will soon start an engagement exercise where residents can have their say on its current Active Travel Network Map – which outlines the existing walking and cycling routes in Rhondda Cynon Taf, along with proposed new routes that are being planned and developed for the future.
Encouraging active travel as part of people’s day-to-day journeys is an important priority for the Council – with each council in Wales required to map their current walking and cycling routes, which also includes detailing their plans for the future. This resource needs to be reviewed and updated regularly, with the input of residents an important part of this process.
To inform the next review and update of the map, the Council will soon be undertaking an extensive public consultation exercise with residents – from Friday, May 29, remaining open until August 20 (2026).
Online, residents will be able to visit the Let’s Talk Engagement website for information about the consultation, along with a questionnaire where feedback can be formally submitted. The Council will promote this page on its Facebook and Instagram pages throughout the consultation. However, please note that comments made on social media will not be recorded in the consultation.
There will also be opportunities for residents to take part offline, with face-to-face public events currently being arranged. These will take place across several communities – with locations, times and dates to be confirmed soon. Please keep an eye on our website and social media for details about these.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Capital Infrastructure, said: “One of our key priorities continues to be promoting walking and cycling in our communities, as we hope to encourage more people be active in their daily journeys. This will improve health and wellbeing, reduce traffic congestion on our roads, and help to protect the environment. To achieve this, we’re continuing to invest heavily in active travel – by improving our existing routes and creating new ones in our communities.
“Welsh Government has supported our investment in active travel over a number of years – and in March 2026 we received confirmation of the next round of local projects funded via the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Fund (2026/27). This allocated £390,000 for active travel minor works, scheme development, and promotion of our network map – plus £660,000 to progress the active travel design linked to the future Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor. We’ve also received £298,000 to improve the pedestrian environment in Penywaun through a Safe Routes in Communities scheme.
“In addition, our flagship £12 million investment in the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route is nearing overall completion. Much of the main 10km walking and cycling route is already available, and the final section between Ferndale and Tylorstown is on course to open very soon. The overall route will become a fantastic asset spanning many communities, and I’m confident that it will continue to be very popular with residents and visitors to the Rhondda Fach.
“Continually updating our plans and asking the public to contribute ideas and opinions is important to shape this level of investment. We’ll soon be starting our latest consultation on the Active Travel Network – and I’d encourage as many residents as possible to share their local knowledge with us, online or in person, up until August 20.”
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