Road closures confirmed until next spring as coal tip safety work begins

Nation.Cymru staff

Residents face months of disruption after road closures were announced to allow major safety works at a former coal tip backed by nearly £5m of Welsh Government funding.

Sections of road in Dinas, Rhondda, will close from June 8 until March 31, 2027, to enable stabilisation works at the Graig Ddu coal tip, a disused colliery spoil heap that has long been subject to concerns about ground stability.

Graigddu Road will close from its junction with Dinas Road south eastwards for around 295 metres, while Vicarage Road will close from its junction with Graigddu Road westwards for approximately 130 metres.

The closure will allow contractors to carry out work designed to significantly reduce the risk of landslips and improve the long term stability of the site.

No pedestrian access will be maintained during the works and emergency service access will also be affected.

Access to premises will not be available via the closed sections, although a temporary access road is being created to maintain vehicle access for residents of Graigddu Road.

An alternative route will be available via Vicarage Road and Dinas Road.

The former coal tip sits above Graigddu Road and has been the focus of years of monitoring and temporary drainage measures because of historic instability concerns.

Earlier this year, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council secured a £4.8 million Welsh Government funding commitment covering the period from 2026/27 to 2029/30 to progress a long term remediation scheme.

The project aims to improve the stability of the ground, replace retaining walls and reinstate sections of the local highway network.