A465 closure times altered after hospital access issues

THE closure of a road connecting the Cynon Valley and Merthyr Tydfil will be restricted after it was found to be affecting people visiting family members in hospital.

The A465, which connects Hirwaun and Cefn Coed, has been undergoing night-time closures in a bid to widen the road.

But Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells said the closures have been affecting her constituents’ ability to get around and visit family members and friends at the Prince Charles Hospital in particular.

She recently asked Economy Secretary Ken Skates to restrict the closing hours from 9pm-6am, and Mr Skates said it would be limited to those times “as much as possible”.

Ms Howells said: “Night-time closures have an important role to play in making sure our roads are safe and in good condition, in safeguarding the workforce carrying out maintenance activities and in preventing too much disruption to roadusers.

“However, closures must be scheduled so that they do not cause too much inconvenience to the people who would normally use the road.

“This was the case for those Cynon Valley residents who contacted me to say that the closure times were causing them problems, such as making it difficult to visit people who were having to stay in hospital.

“I am glad that after my intervention the Welsh Government has committed to amend the hours for its night-time closures.”

The works are intended to widen 8km of the A465. They initially began in December 2014, and are scheduled to continue until late next year.