Construction work on phase four of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route is now substantially complete – with this 2.65km section of the shared walking and cycling path through Ferndale now available for the community to enjoy.
The overall Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route will create a 10km shared path between Maerdy and Tylorstown, and is being delivered across five phases of work. Phases one, two, four and five represent the path’s primary route, with phase three providing a key link off the main path. A description and progress update on all five phases of work are included at the bottom of this news item.
Having been consulted upon early last year and receiving planning consent in June 2024, the construction of the phase four section started in July 2024. It has recently been delivered on time by Council contractor Horan Construction Ltd, funded through the 2024/25 Active Travel Fund by Welsh Government.
Phase four has continued previous sections of the route by upgrading the path on the alignment of the old railway line, stretching across Ferndale from a point north of Ffaldau Terrace (near Maerdy) to a point north-east of Dolycoed Funeral Home (Tylorstown). This section passes Blaenllechau, and also includes a new link to Avon Street at the northern end of Ferndale.
Two new footbridges have also been installed at Blaenllechau to support the phase four route. The 30-metre ‘Blaenllechau North’ footbridge provides a solution to a missing railway bridge where Maerdy and Ferndale meet, at a location roughly north of Ferndale Community School. The new ‘Blaenllechau South’ footbridge forms a link to the active travel route from Avon Street.
While the majority of this work is now complete and the route is available to the community, residents may notice the Council’s contractor retaining a presence on site in the weeks ahead, to complete necessary remedial works.
In addition, a local project to create a new BMX pump track in Ferndale is also nearing completion. The active travel route passes this new facility, located off Station Road and Taff Street. While these are separate projects, they will be concluding at around the same time as one another, for the community’s use. The Council will communicate details about the pump track’s opening shortly.
Please note, the southern end of the phase four route will need to close on a temporary basis as the construction phase moves onto phase five, which will carry the overall route from Ferndale to Tylorstown. The closure will be put in place from a point near the pump track and Station Road, heading south. This is essential to ensure safety – and the public must respect the closure when it’s put in place, anticipated to be from the week commencing June 16.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “I’m pleased the latest section of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route through Ferndale is now substantially constructed and is open for local communities to use. It is the third main section of the route to be completed, after phases one and two through Maerdy were previously delivered in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
“We continue to welcome Welsh Government’s support for this new provision across the Rhondda Fach. Phase four has been delivered via a £4.26 million allocation in last year’s Active Travel Fund, which included funding to develop plans for phase five between Ferndale and Tylorstown. In recent weeks, we were delighted to receive a further £4.9 million for the full delivery of this final phase of work – thanks to a new allocation in the 2025/26 Active Travel Fund.
“Continuing to invest in new active travel provision, and improving upon our existing routes, is a priority for the Council right across Rhondda Cynon Taf. Encouraging residents to walk or cycle more of their local everyday journeys is important to improve people’s health and well-being, while also helping the environment by reducing the number of vehicles on our roads. This will have a knock-on effect of reducing traffic congestion and improving journey times.
“The 2025/26 Active Travel Fund also included a core allocation of over £1 million. This will enable us to develop two new routes between Talbot Green and Llanharan, and Treorchy and Treherbert – while additional schemes have received agreement in principal and continue to be developed at this stage.
“With the substantial completion of phase four of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route now achieved, our focus will turn to phase five – which received full planning permission earlier this year. The Council will communicate with residents when the construction phase for this final section is ready to start.”
