The line between Pontypridd and Merthyr Tydfil will be shut from Saturday 23 October to Wednesday 27 October to make the major plans by Transport for Wales (TfW) a reality in developing the South Wales Metro.

Replacement bus services will be on hand to transport passengers between Pontypridd and Merthyr Tydfil.

The closure of the line will allow intricate engineering work to progress as part of plans for introducing new electric tram-trains.

Works will include installing overhead line equipment, realigning the track, repositioning signals, installing and testing new equipment, and clearing flora from the area.

Due to the scale of the works, including large machinery and the number of people, closure of the line is unavoidable. To take advantage of the closure and to keep the closure time to a minimum, work will continue 24 hours a day.

Part-funding by the European Regional Development Fund through Welsh Government has allowed this three-quarters of a billion-pound improvement of the Core Valley for the Metro to happen. It will provide more frequent and faster services from Cardiff and valleys, including Merthyr Tydfil. Journey times will be reduced and services provided by Transport for Wales (TfW) will be increased to four an hour, from Cardiff city centre and Merthyr Tydfil because of the new overhead lines providing power for the new tram-trains.

By investing in the Metro and bringing together bus and rail travel routes, connectivity will be improved for residents and visitors to Wales, and there will be better access to jobs, leisure and opportunities.

For more information, travel updates and answers to frequently asked questions about the Metro Improvement works, please see the South Wales Metro website.

Karl Gilmore, TfW’s Rail Infrastructure Director, said: “We have a significant amount of work to carry out to create the South Wales Metro. This includes the biggest upgrade to the ageing Core Valley Lines infrastructure to this scale since it was first built, so that we can deliver the faster, more frequent and greener services the people of the South Wales valleys deserve.”

“While work is taking place, we’ll do everything we can to work responsibly by ensuring our sites are well managed and our people are considerate to our neighbours.”

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