The Council will soon begin important road safety improvement works at a key location in Maerdy, around Station Road’s junction with Oxford Street – in response to the recent history of vehicle incidents at the pictured bend.
The bend at the bottom of Maerdy Mountain leading to Maerdy Road has experienced a number of road traffic collisions in recent years – including a notable incident in April 2025 where a vehicle collided heavily with a residential property. Officers have been working in partnership with South Wales Police to better understand why such one-vehicle collisions have kept occurring at this location, and Council officers have since been developing a series of positive road safety improvements for delivery.
The upcoming scheme, from Monday, June 15, will introduce measures to improve highway safety and dissuade motorists from speeding in this 20mph zone. The work will include several physical alterations to the highway at Station Road, in and around its junction with Oxford Street. These will include:
- Containment kerbs along the southbound lane of Station Road, leading to Oxford Street – and around the eastern and western sides of the junction.
- Reflective bollards along Station Road to better highlight the sharp bend.
- A tactile-surfaced, uncontrolled crossing point south of Oxford Street.
- Extending the existing double-yellow lines along Oxford Street and Station Road to facilitate the new highway arrangement and crossing point.
These measures follow improved signage that has already been installed at the location – including gateway signs and countdown markers along Station Road, making the speed limit clear to motorists. A variable message sign is also installed opposite the Station Road/Institute Road junction, displaying the speed limit to southbound traffic once it is exceeded by approaching cars.
The upcoming work will be delivered by Council contractor Calibre Contracting Ltd, requiring three-way traffic lights from June 15 and lasting around a month. The scheme is being funded by the Council’s capital programme.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Capital Infrastructure, said: “After a series of notable, serious vehicle incidents at Station Road and Oxford Street in Maerdy, the Council made a commitment to better understand why they keep happening, and bring forward a road safety scheme at the earliest opportunity. These planned improvements from June 15 are for the benefit of all road users and the wider community – particularly pedestrians and residents living near the sharp bend.
“We’ve already improved the signs in the approaching area, making the speed limit absolutely clear to road users. The upcoming works will install a series of containment kerbs to naturally reduce speeds, along with other measures like reflective bollards, extending the existing double-yellow lines, and introducing a new crossing point. The scheme has been carefully developed following close working with South Wales Police in investigating the previous incidents.
“I’d like to thank residents for their cooperation as the scheme is delivered under temporary traffic lights over the weeks ahead. The lights are needed to ensure workforce and motorists’ safety while the measures are installed.”
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