More than £5 million has been awarded to transport projects across one Welsh county

Anthony Lewis, Local democracy reporter

More than £5m has been awarded to transport projects across one Welsh county.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has confirmed the funding from Welsh Government for a wide range of transport projects in 2026/27 to support improvements to highways, public transport, active travel and road safety.

The funding for RCT schemes totals over £5 million which will go towards major future transport schemes, local active travel improvements, safe routes in communities, road safety initiatives and better public transport connections.

The Welsh Government funding is delivered via Cardiff Capital Region Regional Transport Fund 2026/27, and includes: £2.01 million to continue to develop the Cynon Gateway Link Road in the north of the Cynon Valley, improving connectivity between the A4059 and the A465, easing local transport pressures and supporting longer-term economic growth in the area.

Also included is £1.369m for Porth park and ride phase three supporting the next phase of extra parking linked to the Porth Transport Hub and wider South Wales Metro improvements in a bid to make it easier for people to combine car, rail and bus journeys.

There is £150,000 for Pontypridd northern gateway to improve access to Pontypridd bus station and support better sustainable transport connections in the wider town centre area.

A sum of £660,000 is included for the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor community route to take forward the active travel design linked to the Llanharan corridor proposals and wider area with the aim of making local journeys easier, safer and more accessible, while encouraging more walking, wheeling and cycling.

There is also £390,000 for active travel minor works, scheme development, monitoring, promotion and the active travel network map update to allow the council to take forward smaller walking and cycling improvements, develop future schemes and continue promoting active travel for everyday journeys.

The funding includes £298,900 for the Penywaun Safe Routes in Communities scheme supporting safer routes around Pen-Y-Waun Primary School, helping improve pedestrian safety and encouraging more active school journeys.

There is £94,600 set aside for road safety education, training and publicity to continue work to raise awareness, provide practical training and promote safer road use across communities and schools.

And £150,000 is set to go towards speed cameras through a regional road safety allocation to support targeted speed management measures and wider road safety improvements at key locations.

Also awarded was £75,000 for the Abernant Tunnel linking Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare.

This is a cross-boundary scheme that will be led by Merthyr Tydfil Council, as part of the long term ambition for better active travel links between the two areas.