Cabinet has agreed how extra funding for Highways and Engineering this year (2026/27) will be allocated. It includes major funding towards developing the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor and Cynon Gateway Link Road – plus allocations for 28 extra road resurfacing schemes, 15 footway works, two new unadopted road projects, and additional funding for flood alleviation.
A report outlining a proposed £12.13 million investment in Council priority areas was considered by Cabinet on Monday, September 21 – and Members approved this one-off funding for the current financial year. For Highways and Transportation, it includes funding for roads/footways (£3.5 million), Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor (£3 million), Cynon Gateway Link Road (£3 million), flood alleviation (£250,000), and unadopted roads (£150,000).
Following its approval, Members considered a separate report on a proposed Supplementary Highways Capital Programme, which outlined how the funding would be allocated. It will be delivered on top of the current year capital programme for Highways and Transportation, worth £41.9 million, that was agreed by Cabinet in March 2026 and is being delivered throughout 2026/27.
Details of Supplementary Highways Capital Programme
The newly-agreed funding will deliver 28 extra road resurfacing schemes, along with 15 additional footway repairs – while also earmarking other important funding for surface planing, intermediate repairs and patching works. The new road and footway schemes are listed in full in the Appendices of Monday’s Cabinet report, which can be read in full on the Council’s website.
Also included are two new unadopted roads schemes, adding to the existing programme of work to resurface privately-owned roads that have been left in a very poor condition for many years – and adopt them for future Council maintenance. Newly-agreed schemes will now be developed at Farm Road in Aberaman, and Gadlys Street to Glan Road in Gadlys, Aberdare.
The extra funding for flood alleviation will continue to support small-scale work on land drainage improvements, highway drainage and flood alleviation schemes – as a priority area. Council investment will continue to complement secured Welsh Government funding of around £4 million for 2026/27.
The Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor will receive extra funding of £3 million to continue its development. The future project aims to address long-standing issues with congestion, road safety, goods vehicle traffic and air quality along the A473 through Llanharan. It will create a new 4km transport corridor, with a walking and cycling route alongside. In April 2026, the project reached a major milestone as a planning application was formally submitted.
The Cynon Gateway Link Road will receive £3 million funding towards its design and development. The future 1.2km link road will connect the A4059 Aberdare Bypass to the Heads of the Valleys Road – to strengthen north-south transport links, ease traffic congestion locally including in Llwydcoed, and support the region’s economic growth. A process to appoint a main contractor has started, with detailed design work planned to begin next year.
Please note, this extra investment in Highways and Transportation is subject to the wider £12.13 million Investment Priorities funding – which was agreed by Cabinet Members at their meeting on Monday – being agreed by all Elected Members at the upcoming Full Council meeting in September 2026.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Capital Infrastructure, said: “On Monday, Cabinet approved a significant, one-off investment of £12.13 million for Council priority areas this year. Having approved this important investment, Members then considered a separate report relating to the almost £10 million allocated to Highways and Engineering, detailing how the funding would be allocated.
“Our major transportation schemes planned for Llanharan and the north of the Cynon Valley will each receive an extra £3 million, as officers progress their design and development. Both projects were previously included in the Wales Roads Review, and have been revised to ensure they conform with Welsh Government Transport Policy. They remain absolute commitments for the Council, further demonstrated by this significant additional funding for each.
“The ongoing repair, maintenance and investment in our roads across the County Borough remains a key priority – and we’ve made excellent progress over the summer months to deliver 70 road resurfacing schemes since April 2026. The existing programme for 2026/27 was worth £6.6 million, and this is now added to considerably by a further £3.5 million investment – enabling us to add an extra 28 roads and 15 footways to this year’s pool of works.
“We will also add two new unadopted roads schemes – in Aberaman and Gadlys – targeting streets in private ownership that have been left in an unacceptable condition. We’ve delivered at least 35 such schemes since 2021. Finally, an extra £250,000 is allocated to this year’s flood alleviation budget, as we continue to develop and deliver targeted works in our local communities for at-risk locations, responding to the threat of climate change.”
Find out more about our major ongoing investment in Highways and Engineering through our dedicated #TransformingRCT webpage.
Posted on 23/09/2026