Work to create 50 extra parking spaces at Porth Park and Ride is due to get under way from the week commencing Monday 19 October.
The third phase of the scheme will use the majority of the unused ground behind the Rheola Hotel, close to the existing Park and Ride facility, and will move the alignment of the existing industrial estate road to make more efficient use of the space. New lighting will be installed and drainage installations completed.
Council contractor Centregreat Ltd will initially set up the site, with the main construction phase following. The project, which received planning permission in April 2026, is due for completion in spring 2027.
In March 2026, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council secured Welsh Government funding for a range of transport projects across the county borough through the Cardiff Capital Region Regional Transport Fund in 2026/27. A £1.369 million allocation was made to deliver Porth Park and Ride Phase Three.
The site is served by Porth Railway Station and the Porth Transport Hub, and the scheme is intended to make it easier for residents and commuters to combine car, rail and bus journeys.
Phase One created 73 parking spaces at the railway station, plus facilities including street lighting and cycle parking, while Phase Two provided an additional 29-space car park opposite the Rheola Hotel.
There will be some local disruption during the works. The section of the Park and Ride south of the Rheola Hotel will be temporarily closed, along with an area to the front of the pub.
Two-way traffic lights will be in place on the industrial estate road for the duration, and any traffic management needed on Rheola Road will be out of hours. Occasional night-time road closures will be needed on the industrial estate road for resurfacing, and these will be communicated by the council.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Capital Infrastructure, said: “These works to deliver Phase Three of the Porth Park and Ride facility will bring an area of unused land into use, to create 50 extra parking spaces that will serve the railway station and Porth Transport Hub. Creating extra parking at railway stations is an important avenue of investment, as we encourage more people to use public transport for parts of their everyday journeys – to reduce traffic on our roads, improve journey times, and protect the environment.
“The transport hub opened last year through a partnership between the Council and Transport for Wales, taking advantage of Porth’s strategic location as a gateway to both the Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr. It has brought together railway and bus services at a single location, with live departure screens for both modes of transport – as well as creating a taxi rank and cycling facilities. The upcoming scheme to create 50 extra spaces nearby will make the hub even more accessible to local residents and commuters.
“The Council has recently appointed a contractor to deliver the scheme, and work will start from October 19 – to be completed this financial year. We’ve welcomed important Welsh Government funding, with the Council securing more than £1.3 million which will fully-fund the scheme. Residents are advised of some local disruption – with sections of the existing park and ride being temporarily brought out of use, temporary traffic lights being used on the industrial estate road, and future road closures being planned at night. Thanks in advance to residents for your cooperation.”
