Penrhiwceiber Road closure to enable Cross Valley Link progress

As the Mountain Ash Cross Valley Link Scheme enters its final stages, a four-week road closure at Penrhiwceiber Road from July 25 will allow Miskin Road to reopen in August, and deliver important improvements at Glyngwyn Street.

The Cross Valley Link is a long-term aspiration for the community and the Council, comprising of a new 60-metre road bridge built from Cwm Cynon Industrial Estate to Miskin Road. It will provide a vital new link over the river and railway line for traffic travelling between the A4059 and B4275 routes.

Following some delays due to the Coronavirus emergency, which saw some subcontractors and manufacturers temporarily close, the Council recently announced the scheme is now on course for completion in late summer 2020.

Working towards this completion schedule, a road closure is required at Penrhwiceiber Road from Saturday, July 25, for around four weeks.

This will include the same road closure, alternative routes (see map) and shuttle bus arrangements that were successfully implemented over the school holiday last summer. The closure will enable the following work:

· Realignment of the road to make Penrhiwceiber Road and Miskin Road the main through route on this section of the B4275.

· Closure of the access between Penrhiwceiber Road and Glyngwyn Street, where a turning area and some parking spaces will be created.

· Kerbing, drainage, footway and carriageway construction, along with work to a retaining structure, new street lighting and traffic signage.

· Wales & West Utilities will take this opportunity to carry out a gas main replacement, while BT also has some additional work to complete.

These works will enable Miskin Road to reopen (for two-way traffic for the first time) before the end of August. The Cross Valley Link road itself will then be in a position to be opened in the weeks following this.

Temporary traffic arrangements, from July 25, will see B4275 Penrhiwceiber Road close, with Glyngwyn Street and Victoria Street changed to one-way only (as indicated on the map). Access will be maintained for residents at all

times. Traffic will be diverted via Mountain Ash Town Centre, Llanwonno Road and Glamorgan Street in both directions – with traffic on the B4275 coming from Abercynon being diverted straight onto Glamorgan Street.

During the closure, the bus services that usually use the B4275 will follow the diversion mentioned above – and, to ensure a connection is maintained between Miskin and Mountain Ash Town Centre, a shuttle bus will be provided. The shuttle bus service will be run by Davies Coaches Ltd, Abercynon. Following the closure, buses that currently use Glyngwyn Street will able to use their new route along Miskin Road.

There are alternative routes for motorists around the Miskin area, which may be busier during the closure period. Residents are therefore asked to park considerately to help maintain traffic flow in the area as much as possible.

Please note, these works will not affect the opening of any Town Centre facilities and shops at this time. The Council is encouraging residents to Shop Local, supporting those businesses that are able to open at this time (in relation to the Coronavirus national emergency).

Contractor Walters-Sisk will write to local residents prior to the road closure starting, with all relevant details. Alternatively, the contractor’s site phone number is available for any queries from the community, on 07468 354404.

The Council would like to thank residents in advance for their cooperation. This closure is necessary to complete and implement significant changes at Glyngwyn Street and Miskin Road – which are very important elements of the wider Cross Valley Link scheme. The closure is likely to cause disruption, but is scheduled for the school holiday to minimise this as much as possible.