Leader seeks progress on A469 road improvements

The Leader of Caerphilly county borough council is seeking an urgent meeting with Welsh Government Ministers to discuss long-awaited structural repairs to a key road linking the communities of Pontlottyn and New Tredegar.

Cllr Sean Morgan is calling for urgent progress on works to the A469 at Troedrhiwfwch, which has experienced a landslip and significant ground movement over recent years.

The key strategic route has been subject to reduced single lane traffic restrictions since 2020, causing delays and inconvenience to the travelling public.

Cllr Morgan said, “We have submitted a bid to Welsh Government to progress a major improvement scheme and I am keen to meet with Ministers to stress the importance of these works and explain the negative impact the ongoing situation is having on the surrounding communities.”

“I am seeking an urgent site visit with the Minister, the local MP and MS, as well as council officials in order to see first-hand the detrimental economic and social impact this issue is having within the locality and the wider region” added Cllr Morgan.

Welsh Government has recently announced that they have ceased supporting new road schemes and are reviewing all such bids submitted by local authorities. However, CCBC is confident that this scheme is a maintenance scheme, as it is a repair to an existing highway.  The outcome of this review will be announced by Welsh Government in the autumn.

A landslip occurred on the A469 between Tirphil and Pontlottyn in early 2014, which required the closure of the road for two months while remedial works were carried out. Unfortunately, further ground movement was detected at the site location following storm Dennis in February 2020.

The council will provide further updates to the community as soon as a decision is made about the funding bid.