Active Travel Fund 2021/22 – Council awarded additional funding

The Council has secured an additional £661,000 from Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund for 2021/22 – which will be used for pedestrian crossing improvements, recreational route enhancements and further Taff Trail works. 

During March 2021, the Council received its allocation from the Active Travel Fund for the current financial year. This totalled £3.76m, including a core allocation of £1.12m plus funding for Taff Trail realignment, the Treorchy Active Travel Route (Phase 1) and the Brook Street Footbridge replacement.

The Council has now received a further allocation of £661,000 capital funding from the Active Travel Fund. It includes specific allocations for the following:

• Active Travel Pedestrian Crossing Facilities (£161,000) – this represents funding for a new pedestrian crossing at Treforest Industrial Estate near Parc Nantgarw, along with partial funding for a new pedestrian crossing in Llanharan. Both of these crossings will form part of identified Active Travel Route in the Council’s Integrated Network Map.

• Taff Trail Enhancements (£250,000) – this funding will enable various works, including surface improvements at identified locations. This will complement work ongoing on the Taff Trail, using Active Travel funding, to make the route more accessible and user-friendly.

• Recreational Route Enhancements (£250,000) – this funding will enable various works, including surface improvements, on identified recreational routes across the County Borough. They will improve existing connections to encourage Active Travel for everyday journeys.

Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Highways and Transportation, said: “The award of this additional funding from Welsh Government means that the Council has secured more than £4.3m to deliver Active Travel improvements this year, highlighting our commitment to encourage and enable residents to walk and cycle more often as part of their daily routines.

“Active Travel has so many benefits – from individuals’ health and well-being, to reducing traffic on our roads, reducing journey times, and helping to lower our carbon footprint. Walking and cycling as an alternative to driving is a key topic in our ongoing Climate Conversation with residents, as we can all play our part towards the County Borough becoming as near to carbon neutral as possible.

“The Council is also currently consulting residents on its Active Travel provision, focusing on the current and proposed walking and cycling routes in the County Borough. It allows residents to have their say on the Council’s updated version of the Active Travel Network Map – which will be submitted to Welsh Government for its approval by the end of the year.

“The additional Active Travel Fund allocation is now earmarked for projects to be carried out in Rhondda Cynon Taf communities this financial year – and the Council will continue to seek external funding opportunities as they arise.”