Valleys cycling path complete
Anthony Lewis – Local democracy reporter
The last section of a new 10km walking and cycling route in the Valleys has now opened.
The section of the Rhondda Fach active travel route between Ferndale and Tylorstown is now open to the public.
This completes the main route, which goes as far as Maerdy, although some work is continuing on creating local links off the overall route.
Site works began in 2023 and the project has received funding from Welsh Government while Transport for Wales has helped with administration and advising on the scheme.
The project has been split into five main phases with phases one, two, four and five representing the primary route from Maerdy to Tylorstown while phase three has created a link at Maerdy.
And now phase five has been opened to the public after construction work
started in June 2025.
Following the route of the old railway line it extends from Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre in Ferndale to Stanleytown overbridge – connecting to the Porth Relief Road community route.
As part of phase five a total of three new footbridges have been built to support the overall route.
Pont Pendyrus has replaced the old leisure centre footbridge while the Tylorstown north and south structures have replaced old railway bridges that were beyond repair.
The new bridges are wider and conform to modern active travel standards, the council says.
Another key aspect of phase five is establishing new links off the main path to
Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre and Tylorstown Surgery and work here is ongoing.
Phase three of the overall route is yet to be built and this will create a new 1.5km path leading to Richard Street and Ferndale Swimming Pool at Maerdy.
This phase has previously received planning consent in 2024 with funding now being sought to deliver this.
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I know this might sound stupid but what is the width of the cycle path?
Dangerous to mix pedestrians and cyclists especially on a path that looks quite narrow. I think most bicycles do not have bells or any kind of warning device fitted to warn pedestrians they are approaching from behind and can scare the hell out of anyone who are not aware. In fact I would go as far as saying it could cause someone to have a cardiac arrest. In my experience of walking along paths is that cyclists who aproach either way do not slow down.
Likewise, pedestrians who are hard of hearing and are very slow, should be aware that other people use the path and should not walk in the middle of it, take up the whole width or tell people to use a bell that they clearly can’t hear.
What a stupid reply!! How many pedestrians are hard of hearing? Very very very few I should imagine. Surely you realise that what you have just written is ridiculous and is underestimating the intelligence of the readers. Ring a bloody bell, cough or shout if you are a cyclist to make pedestrians aware you are approching them from behind for goodness sake. Use your brain or are you sitting on it!!!
Why are you being needlessly aggressive? Tony says one thing to you and you call him stupid? The internet is not an excuse to be so rude Frank, please don’t.
I find it strange that you’re unwilling to brook any arguement about the hard of hearing but think it could be a significant danger to people’s hearts. I don’t think your views as you’ve shown them are very consistent? How many pedestrians are realistically going to have heart attacks because a bike passes too close? I would wager that the pedestrians that may have a heart attack due to a bike passing too close are the same pedestrians who are hard of hearing. They need to clearly mark a bike-lane here but there is still an onus on people to… Read more »
Everyone’s job on public paths and roads is to anticipate. Sadly some are either not taught it or have forgotten.
Yeah, look out pedestrians, best not slow Tony down,or he will exercise his right to mow you down.
He suggested pedestrians shouldn’t walk in the middle and be mindful of their surroundings. What’s the issue? Are people so enamoured with hating cyclists? I’m a walker for the record.
Hi Frank, many cyclists do have bells and cycle considerately on joint pedestrian and cycle paths. However as a walker and a cyclist, who is hard of hearing I do sympathise with you. Personally, I slow down around walkers, I Always ring my bell, first when I’m a good distance away and again if people don’t look around because then I assume they haven’t heard. Unfortunately there are people who go past way to fast and don’t give adequate warning. Consideration on both sides is needed, and don’t assume we are all thoughtless. Happy walking and cycling.
Thank you for your consideration. Please pass on your ways to other cyclists who don’t consider safety. By the way, I think you have misunderstood my comment, I am not hard of hearing or a cyclist. It was Tony, another commenter, who referred to people with hearing difficulties.
Cyclists down marking me but no bottle to leave a reply to justify their action.
I’m not a cyclist, can’t even ride a bike. I downvoted you for your needlessly rude response to Tony. We can mind our manners even online Frank. Let’s make environments more pleasant to talk in.
Its not the cyclists you want to worry about, its the motorbikes. I cycle on the taff trail and my son and I counted 24 bikes one sunday on our ride out.
First Rockers then Mods and now the most pampered anti-socialists going the ‘Cyclist’!
£344 million in the last ten years ‘pampered’…!
Another £2.6 billion to go ‘pampered’…!
Had a e scooter and off road bike on that path last week so it is not safe on the new pathway