Council secures £13m of funding for Highways and Transportation schemes

RCT Council has been notified it was successful in directly securing from Welsh Government more than £13m of funding for Highways and Transportation schemes – and will also benefit from new allocations to the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority.

Confirmation of the following Welsh Government grants for 2021/22 was received on March 19:

• Local Transport Fund (£1.47m) – Major Economic Infrastructure Schemes across the County Borough, bus corridor enhancements along the Pontypridd-Church Village-Talbot Green-Brynna and the Porth-Tonyrefail-Gilfach Goch corridors, and the design and development of Park and Ride opportunities and further infrastructure schemes.
• Resilient Roads Fund (£2.75m) – progression of targeted drainage improvements to make local roads more resilient in heavy rainfall at 19 identified locations in the Cynon Valley and Rhondda areas.
• Active Travel Fund (£3.76m) – a core allocation of £1.12m, plus funding for Taff Trail realignment, Treorchy Active Travel Route (phase one) and the Brook Street Footbridge replacement scheme. Core funding will be allocated to a range of initiatives and improvement schemes including a route for the Rhondda Fach and further works regarding the Abernant Tunnel.
• Safe Routes in Communities (£341,000) – design and development of a scheme to create a safer environment for pedestrians/cyclists in Ton Pentre.
• Road Safety Capital Grant (£93,500) –to enforce average speed on B4512 Penrhys Road, and the purchase of speed indicator devices.
• Road Safety Revenue Grant (£101,000) – continued delivery of the Pass Plus course, along with National Standards Cycling Training and Kerbcraft sessions which take place in local schools.

In addition, the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority has been awarded £8m from the Local Transport Fund for South Wales Metro enhancements in 2021/22. Included in this is funding to construct the Porth Interchange, and specific Metro funding to take forward the relevant enhancement studies for schemes in Rhondda Cynon Taf such as – the North West Cardiff Mass Transit Corridor, developing an extension of rail services to Hirwaun, park and ride for the new Upper Boat/Treforest station park and cross valley connectivity.

More than £4.8m has also been allocated to implement EV charging infrastructure and encourage the take up of EV vehicles, for which the Council has supported across the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority.

Finally, the Council has also been notified that it has this month secured more than £5.2m of new, additional in-year 2020/21 funding including allocations towards Major Road schemes, Active Travel, Safe Routes in Communities and Resilient Roads.