Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has welcomed a significant £2.01 million award from Welsh Government through the Cardiff Capital Region towards the further development of the Cynon Gateway Link Road.
This important transport scheme is a key part of Cardiff Capital Region’s five-year Regional Transport Plan, and will help to improve connectivity in the north of the Cynon Valley to support the area’s long-term growth.
The Welsh Government funding is provided through the Cardiff Capital Region Regional Transport Fund 26/27, with the goal to make local transport more accessible for everyone and help people get around more easily.
The funding is in addition to the £603,000 already identified for the project within the Council’s Highways and Engineering 2026/27 Capital Programme , agreed by Cabinet on 18 March, giving further momentum to a project that has been a long-standing priority for the area.
The Cynon Gateway Link Road is a strategically important 1.2km link road that will connect the A4059 Aberdare Bypass to the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road. It is intended to strengthen north-south transport links between Llwydcoed and Penywaun, improve access across the area, and help ease congestion on local routes. The scheme also forms part of wider plans to improve transport connectivity and support economic growth in the Cynon Valley.
The Council has continued to develop the project over recent years, with AtkinsRéalis appointed in September 2025 to support delivery of the project.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said:
“This is positive news for Rhondda Cynon Taf and especially for the north of the Cynon Valley. The Cynon Gateway Link Road is an important project that has the potential to improve connections, tackle long-standing transport challenges and support future investment in the area.
“We welcome this significant £2.01 million from Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region, which builds on the Council funding already committed to the project for 2026/27. It means we can continue moving this major scheme forward and keep up the momentum behind a project that is important for local communities and the wider regional economy.
“Over the last decade, the Council has made substantial investment in highways, transport and wider infrastructure right across Rhondda Cynon Taf. We’ve taken a long-term approach because we know that good infrastructure matters. Whether that is maintaining roads, repairing structures, delivering flood alleviation, improving active travel, or developing major future transport schemes like this one. Our investment programme has grown substantially over the past decade, and that continued commitment is helping us deliver the improvements our communities need now while planning properly for the future.”
