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Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route

 
A new 10km walking and cycling route spanning the Rhondda Fach, from Maerdy in the north to Tylorstown in the south, is now available to enjoy, thanks to a significant investment by the Council and Welsh Government.
    

The video above shows the main route, cycled by officers from Sport RCT! Why not pay a visit soon?

This major project was delivered across several phases of work from 2023 to 2026, creating a shared use route that had long been a priority for the Council. The new facility largely follows the alignment of the former railway line, and the project has also created some key links to community landmarks, as shown on the following map:

Active-travel-map

The project was split into five main phases for the purposes of design, development and construction. Phases one, two, four and five represent the primary route from Maerdy to Tylorstown, while phase three will create a new link at Maerdy in the future:

  • Phase one was completed in late 2023. It created the northernmost section of the overall active travel route, from a location north of the Maerdy industrial estate to a point near the Gateway Memorial.
  • Phase two was completed during 2024, resuming the route south of phase one. Starting from the Gateway Memorial, it stretches through Maerdy for 1.5km, following the alignment of the former railway line.
  • Phase three will create a new 1.5km link leading from the main route to Richard Street and facilities such as Ferndale Swimming Pool, Ferndale Community School and Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llyn-y-Forwyn in Maerdy. This phase received planning consent in June 2024, with funding continuing to be sought for its delivery.
  • Phase four was completed in 2025, upgrading the old railway line across Ferndale – from a point north of Ffaldau Terrace (near Maerdy) to a point near Dolycoed Funeral Home (Tylorstown). It included a new link to Avon Street (Ferndale) and construction of two new footbridges at Blaenllechau.
  • Phase five opened in 2026, with the main route continuing from Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre to Stanleytown overbridge. Three new footbridges were installed, while work continued after its opening in May 2026 to deliver important new links to Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre and Tylorstown Surgery.

The Council delivered the overall project, which benefitted from funding over several years through Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund, while Transport for Wales played an important role in administrating and advising on the scheme.