Transport planning across the South Wales Valleys.
Transport planning for schemes in the South Wales Valleys, where steep sites, narrow streets and links to the Metro shape what works.
Valleys councils
each the planning and highway authority
Welsh Government
trunk roads including the A470 and A465
South Wales Metro
rail upgrades on the Valleys lines
How schemes in South wales valleys get decided.
Who decides
Each council is both the planning authority and the highway authority for local roads. Planning Policy Wales and Technical Advice Note 18 put walking, cycling and public transport first, and the evidence needs to show how a scheme supports that.
What shapes schemes here
The Valleys towns sit in steep, narrow valleys linked by the A470 and the dualled A465 Heads of the Valleys road, with rail lines being upgraded for the South Wales Metro.
Roads, rail and buses
The main roads are the A470, A465 and A4119. There’s a railway station, so the walking and cycling route to it counts for a lot in any application. Trunk roads such as the A470 and A465 are the Welsh Government’s, managed through the South Wales Trunk Road Agent. Where a scheme affects them, they need to agree the evidence too.
Everything your application needs on transport.
All services in detail →Questions we get asked
Which areas do you cover nearby?
We also cover Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Stroud, and sites in between.
Does the 20mph default speed limit affect my access design?
It can. Most restricted roads in Wales became 20mph in 2023, and some have since gone back to 30mph after review. Visibility should reflect the speeds traffic actually travels, so a speed survey often pays for itself.
Also working around South wales valleys.
From our insights.
What does your South wales valleys site need?
Send us the location. We'll tell you what the council is likely to ask for, with a fixed fee.