Cabinet has agreed a supplementary highways capital programme for this year (2025/26), detailing how newly-allocated funding of £7.85 million will be used for further resurfacing and flood alleviation work – and to help develop major transport schemes for Llanharan and the north of the Cynon Valley.
On Monday, September 22, Cabinet agreed an extra investment of £11.5 million for Council priorities, over and above this year’s capital programme. A significant proportion of this investment (£7.85 million) was allocated to the Highways and Transportation service, earmarked for the following uses:
- Highways and Roads – £2.5 million.
- Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor – £3 million.
- Cynon Gateway North Transit Corridor – £2 million.
- Making Better Use/Traffic Developments – £100,000.
- Flood Alleviation works – £250,000.
A separate report to Monday’s meeting proposed a supplementary highways capital programme using this investment, which has now been agreed by Cabinet. It will be delivered alongside the ongoing £29.647 million Capital Programme for Highways, Transportation and Strategic Projects for 2025/26.
The new funding for Highways and Roads will be used for an additional 39 road resurfacing schemes and 10 footway renewals, plus other work such as access improvements, safety barriers and emergency repairs. Locations of the new schemes are included in an Appendix to Monday’s Cabinet report.
Allocations to the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor and Cynon Gateway North Transit Corridor represent the latest Council investment for these future schemes. Close working with Welsh Government and Transport for Wales continues in respect of both, in response to the Roads Review. The latest funding will support the design and planning stages, a key feature of which is to incorporate stronger active travel and public transport solutions.
The Making Better Use Programme continues to identify low-cost, high-value improvements for congested sections of the road network – to improve traffic flows, ease congestion and increase safety. The new funding will be used to undertake minor signage changes, to install extra road markings, and to reconfigure the existing traffic management arrangements where required.
Finally, the newly-allocated funding for flood alleviation will support the Council’s continuing programme of small scale works. These encompass land drainage and flood alleviation schemes, targeted across the County Borough.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “I’m pleased that the Council has been able to bring forward this additional investment of £7.85 million for Highways and Transportation, which is on top of the major £29.647 million Capital Programme that is already being delivered in 2025/26. This new funding will enable officers to expand the existing programme for priority areas like road resurfacing, footway renewals, and flood alleviation.
“Our ongoing Capital Programme is already funding 78 road resurfacing schemes and seven footway renewals this year, and excellent progress has been made over the spring and summer – taking advantage of the good weather to deliver a large proportion of the programme. The new £2.5 million funding will enable an extra 39 road and 10 footway schemes to be added this year, as we continue our accelerated funding approach to road maintenance.
“Flood alleviation is another area where we continue to bring forward huge investment. Since 2020, the Council has spent more than £100 million to improve resilience to flooding, and to repair storm damage. In 2025/26, more than £6 million is secured across three Welsh Government programmes, and targeted works in our communities using this funding have been brought forward since April 2025. The newly-allocated funding of £250,000 will add to the budget for our own small scale flood alleviation and drainage works.
“Finally, we’ve been able to allocate £5 million for the continued development of theLlanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor and the Cynon Gateway North Transit Corridor – both of which are major projects which we remain absolutely committed to delivering in the future. They are being designed to tackle significant transport challenges that remain at both locations, which will only increase with planned infrastructure and housing developments. The projects are currently being redesigned to respond to the Roads Review and provide a greater focus on active travel and public transport improvements – and a consultation for the Llanharan scheme will be starting very soon.”
Posted on 26/09/2025