Welsh Water plays its part in A465 upgrade

Welsh Water plays its part in A465 upgrade

8 August 2022

Welsh Water, the only not-for-profit water company in England and Wales, is working with Future Valleys Construction on the improvements to the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road.

The A465 Heads of the Valleys 'section 5 and 6' project is set to convert the road from Dowlais Top to Hirwaun to two lanes in each direction; a significant construction project set to take many years. Future Valleys is the organisation carrying out this work on behalf of the Welsh Government.

On behalf of Future Valleys Construction and working with its contractor partners, Lewis Civil Engineering, Alun Griffiths and Morrison Utilities, Welsh Water is set to divert 18 water mains and 7 sewers from the new path of the A465.

In order for Welsh Water and Future Valleys Construction to carry out their work safely, sections of the Tramway path are being temporarily closed from 8th August until January. Tramway is part of the Cynon Trail / National Cycle Network Route 46, using Footpaths 23 Hirwaun and 3 Penywaun.

Welsh Water and Future Valleys Construction have collaborated to carry out both their work while the path is closed, to limit the impact on the local community as much as possible. There will be three diversions in place during different phases of the work:

From 8th August until late September, the alternative route to be used for phase 1 of the work.

From late September to the end of October, the alternative route to be used for phase 2 of the work.

From November until January, the alternative route to be used for phase 3 of the work.

Welsh Water is advertising the diversion and path closure in collaboration with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council through road signs, letters sent to the local area, contact with key user groups and stakeholders, targeted social media and its In Your Area online service.

Gwyn Jones, Senior Project Manager at Welsh Water said: "The new A465 will be a vital part of Wales' strategic road network, so we're more than glad to play our part in making this ambitious construction project happen.

"The safety of our colleagues, contractors and members of the public is our number one priority which is why we have worked with the local highways authority to close the footpath while we work in the area.

"We're sorry for any inconvenience this will cause - we really do appreciate the patience and understanding shown to us by local residents and would like to thank them for bearing with us while we complete the work."