Residents in Porth will soon notice works taking place on vacant land close to the existing Park and Ride facility near the Rheola Hotel – as the Council’s appointed contractor is about to begin an important scheme to create an extra 50 parking spaces, in an investment with Welsh Government.
In March 2026, the Council secured key funding from Welsh Government – via the Cardiff Capital Region Regional Transport Fund in 2026/27 – for a wide range of transport projects across the County Borough. A £1.369 million allocation was made to deliver the Porth Park and Ride Phase Three, making it easier for residents and commuters to combine car, rail and bus journeys, in a location served by Porth Railway Station and the Porth Transport Hub.
In previous years, Phase One has created 73 parking spaces at the railway station, plus other facilities like street lighting and cycle parking – while Phase Two provided an additional 29-space car park opposite the Rheola Hotel.
Phase Three construction works will shortly get underway, from the week commencing Monday, October 19. Council contractor Centregreat Ltd will initially set up their site, with the main construction phase then following on. The overall project is due for completion in spring 2027.
The upcoming project will focus on the pictured area, utilising the majority of the unused ground behind the Rheola Hotel, and moving alignment of the existing industrial estate road to ensure more efficient use of the space. It will create 50 extra parking spaces, install new lighting, and complete drainage installations. The scheme received planning permission during April 2026.
There will be some local disruption during the works. The section of the Park and Ride south of the Rheola Hotel will be temporarily closed, along with an area to the front of the pub. In addition, there will be two-way traffic lights on the industrial estate road for the duration and any traffic management needed on Rheola Road will be out of hours. Occasional night-time road closures will be needed on the industrial estate road for resurfacing – these will be communicated by the Council.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Capital Infrastructure, said: “These works to deliver Phase Three of the Porth Park and Ride facility will bring an area of unused land into use, to create 50 extra parking spaces that will serve the railway station and Porth Transport Hub. Creating extra parking at railway stations is an important avenue of investment, as we encourage more people to use public transport for parts of their everyday journeys – to reduce traffic on our roads, improve journey times, and protect the environment.
“The transport hub opened last year through a partnership between the Council and Transport for Wales, taking advantage of Porth’s strategic location as a gateway to both the Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr. It has brought together railway and bus services at a single location, with live departure screens for both modes of transport – as well as creating a taxi rank and cycling facilities. The upcoming scheme to create 50 extra spaces nearby will make the hub even more accessible to local residents and commuters.
“The Council has recently appointed a contractor to deliver the scheme, and work will start from October 19 – to be completed this financial year. We’ve welcomed important Welsh Government funding, with the Council securing more than £1.3 million which will fully-fund the scheme. Residents are advised of some local disruption – with sections of the existing park and ride being temporarily brought out of use, temporary traffic lights being used on the industrial estate road, and future road closures being planned at night. Thanks in advance to residents for your cooperation.”
Find out more about the Council’s major investment in Highways and Engineering through our #TransformingRCT campaign webpages.
Posted on 12/10/2026