Five weekends of road closures are planned for works to a bridge in Porth. Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council has confirmed it will soon carry out future-proofing and cleaning work to New Rheola Bridge in Porth, which will mean a series of weekend road closures and week-night traffic management are needed, starting on July 25.
Bridge location and works
New Rheola Bridge carries a section of the A4233 Porth Relief Road and is a key gateway route to and from the Rhondda Fach. The works will involve clearing vegetation from the bridge, cleaning the structure’s parapets and arches, and painting.
Due to the bridge’s central location the scheme will cause unavoidable disruption to road users, the council says. It says this work has been scheduled on weekends and at night – and during the school summer holiday – to minimise disruption as much as possible and the overall scheme will be completed by the end of August 2026.
Closure details and dates
The closures are split into two sections – the first is on Rheola Bridge, closing the section of A4233 Porth Relief Road from the A4058 to Llanwonno Road. The second, running simultaneously when it comes into operation, will be beneath the bridge – closing Rheola Road from the industrial estate access road to its junction with Aber-Rhondda Road, plus a section of Aber-Rhondda Road.
The Porth Relief Road closure will run from 8pm on Saturday to 5am on Monday on five weekends – July 25-26, August 1-2, August 8-9, August 15-16, and August 22-23.
Alternative routes
An alternative route from north of the closure is via Llanwonno Road, Aber-Rhondda Road, Rheola Road, Porth Street, North Road, Pontypridd Road, Cymmer Bridge, and A4058. In the opposite direction people should proceed via the A4058, Cymmer Bridge, Porth Street, Rheola Road, Aber-Rhondda Road, and Llanwonno Rd.
Rheola Road and a section of Aber-Rhondda Road will close from 7.30pm on Sunday to 5am on Monday on the same weekends. When the two road closures are in place an alternative route from north of Porth Relief Road is via Llanwonno Road, Aber-Rhondda Road, Cemetery Road, Brithweunydd Road, Trealaw Road, Trealaw roundabout, and the A4058 or in the opposite direction via A4058, Trealaw roundabout, Trealaw Road, Brithweunydd Road, Cemetery Road, Aber-Rhondda Road, and Llanwonno Road.
From north of Rheola Road people should proceed via Cemetery Road, Brithweunydd Road, Trealaw Road, Trealaw roundabout, A4058, Cymmer Bridge, and Porth Street, or in the opposite direction following those steps in reverse.
Access and funding
During the Porth Relief Road closures access is unable to be kept for emergency services and pedestrians. For the closures at Rheola Road/Aber-Rhondda Road access will not be kept for emergency services but is able to be kept for pedestrians.
The council says that to ensure the scheme remains on programme for completion by the end of August and within the school summer holiday a series of evening traffic management is planned during weekdays. This will be in the form of two-way traffic lights and will be used as and when it is needed during the scheme.
The council has secured funding from the UK Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund for this scheme.
