Construction work will begin next week on the section of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route between Ferndale and Tylorstown. This represents the final main section of the 10km walking and cycling route to be built.
The Council is making very good progress towards delivering this significant investment for communities right across the Rhondda Fach. The new shared pathway will run from Maerdy through to Tylorstown, and is being delivered in five phases of work. Phases one, two, four and five represent the primary active travel route, while phase three will provide a key local link off it.
Phase four through Ferndale was recently opened to the public at the start of June 2025, following phases one and two through Maerdy in 2023 and 2024.
The Council is pleased to announce that Horan Construction Ltd has been appointed as the main contractor to deliver the phase five works. Residents may notice the first site activity begin from Monday, June 23.
This final section of the route will be an upgraded 2.8km section of shared path between Ferndale and Tylorstown. It will extend from the southernmost point of Phase Four, between Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre (Ferndale) and the Stanleytown overbridge – connecting to the Porth Relief Road community route at its southern end. This final phase of work will follow the route of the old railway line, and create links to the sports centre and Tylorstown Surgery.
The route is relatively flat, with virtually all existing surfaces comprising of gravel, stone and/or bare ground – which will be upgraded with resurfacing. Phase five also comprises necessary work to two former railway bridges – to retain the structures’ abutments and piers, while replacing the bridge decks.
During the work, the current pathway which will be upgraded in phase five will close to the public from June 23. In addition, the southernmost section of phase four, starting at a point near the new pump track and Station Road, will also close from the week commencing June 16. These are essential to ensure safety, and residents must respect the closures when they are put in place.
There will also be several contractor site accesses across the route. The northernmost one will be near Station Road bridge in Ferndale, and at the southern end it will be under the Llanwonno Road bridge and via the car park to the rear of Tylorstown Surgery. The contractor’s site compound will be located here, with all deliveries and construction traffic coordinated with the surgery to minimise disruption. The paved area next to the playing field at Edmondes Street in Tylorstown will also be used as an additional access point and storage area – with minimal disruption expected at this location.
The only available alternative route for pedestrians and cyclists across the Phase Five route is via the main road between Tylorstown and Ferndale (A4233). Phase Five is due for completion during early spring 2026.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “Welsh Government continues to support the Council with significant investment each year via its Active Travel Fund, with the shared goal of improving and creating new walking and cycling routes for our communities. In 2025/26, more than £1m is secured to progress design work for new active travel routes between Talbot Green and Llanharan, and Treorchy and Treherbert, along with the development of several more schemes that have been agreed in principle.
“In addition, Welsh Government has also provided full funding for the delivery of phase five of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route, and I’m pleased that construction work is now ready to start from June 23. It follows a public consultation last summer and the securing of planning permission in January 2025. Phase four of the main route, through Ferndale, was also opened at the start of June 2025, with only minor finishing works currently ongoing.
“Phase five from Ferndale to Tylorstown represents the final section of the main route across the Rhondda Fach, which spans 10km in total. This is a major investment for local communities, as we encourage more people to walk and cycle parts of their everyday journeys. This will improve their health and well-being, and have a knock-on effect of reducing the number of vehicles on our roads, improving traffic congestion, and protecting the environment.”
Details about the first four phases of the route are summarised below:
- 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 improve the existing cycle path in Maerdy and create a new 1.5km path leading to Richard Street and Ferndale Swimming Pool. This phase received planning consent in June 2024 and continues to be in development, 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.
Posted on 17/06/2025