Rhondda Cynon Taf: Inclement Weather Update Friday January 8

This document contains the latest updates on gritting, roads, refuse and recycling collection, school closures and other services affected as the Council responds to the ongoing severe weather conditions.

Critical salt levels lead to decision to prioritise road treatment – drivers urged to take care

Continued sub-zero temperatures, further severe weather warnings and a critically-low level of salt has led to a decision to prioritise treatment of the highways from tomorrow (Saturday January 9).

The Council will, until further notice, only treat what is known as the Critical Network of highways – around 40 per cent less of the amount of road that has been treated on a daily basis so far.

The authority has been forced to prioritise its gritting operation in such a manner due to the dwindling salt levels, uncertainty as to when new salt deliveries will be made and the threat of more bad weather on its way.

The focus on the Critical Network will include all A roads and other identified routes that form the county’s main infrastructure, in a bid to ensure routes remain clear for motorists and that emergency service access is protected.

Drivers are urged to take extreme care and to only make journeys if absolutely necessary.

The critical network includes all A roads and the below carriageways:

  • Heol Penderyn, Rhigos
  • Heol Y Graig, Rhigos
  • Rhigos Road, Rhigos
  • Dunraven Street, Treherbert
  • Gwendoline Street, Treherbert
  • Wyndham Street, Treherbert
  • St Alban’s Terrace, Treherbert
  • St Alban’s Road, Tynewydd
  • St Alban’s Bridge, Blaenrhondda
  • Blaenrhondda Road, Blaenrhondda
  • Blaen-y-Cwm Road, Blaencwm
  • Park Crescent, Cwmparc
  • Park Road up to the junction with Weston Terrace, Cwmparc.
  • Church Road, Ton Pentre
  • Gelli Road, Ton Pentre
  • Ty Isaf Road, Gelli
  • Penrhys Road, Ystrad
  • Llwynypia Road, Llwynypia
  • Court Street up to junction with Fern Terrace, Tonypandy
  • R/O Court Road UL, Clydach
  • Section of Road to Council Offices between the junction of R/O Court Road and the roundabout on the A4119, Clydach
  • Cambrian Avenue, Hendreforgan
  • Gelli Areal Road, Hendreforgan
  • High Street, Gilfach Goch
  • Coronation Road, Gilfach Goch
  • Llanharry Road, Brynsadler
  • Tyla Coch, Llanharry up to junction with Ty Isaf Road
  • B4595 Section of Talbot Road, Llantrisant between A4119 and Cross Inn Road
  • B4595 High Street, Llantrisant up to Heol y Sarn
  • Crown Hill, Llantwit Fardre
  • Heol Dowlais, Efail Isaf
  • Heol y Ffynnon, Efail Isaf
  • B4595 between Llantwit Fardre and Beddau
  • Power Station Hill up to and including Upper Boat Roundabout
  • Dynea Road, Rhydyfelin
  • Holly Street, Rhydyfelin
  • Dyffryn Road, Rhydyfelin
  • Brook Street into Oxford Street up to fire station, Treforest
  • B4275 Cilfynydd Road to Glancynon Terrace up to fire station
  • Road off A4059 Mountain Ash to Cefn Pennar
  • B 4275 New Road into Commercial Street into Dyffryn Street into Graig Street onto High Street as far as junction with Perthcelyn
  • Canal Road into Brodeg to Cwmbach Road back onto Canal Road to Abernant Roundabout to A4059 Roundabout
  • Gasworks Roundabout to Cardiff Road to Cwmaman Road up to Mountain Road, Cwmaman
  • B4276 Llwydcoed Road. Llwydcoed
  • B4275 Hirwaun Road, Trecynon onto Cwmdare Road up to Junction with Heol Brynna, Cwmdare
  • Station Road C221 Ferndale into Commercial Street C221, Blaenllechau.
  • Aberllechau Road to Hillside Terrace onto Victoria Street to Bryn Terrace, Wattstown.
  • Graigwen Road, into Whiterock Avenue, Mayfield Road and back onto Graigwen Road, Pontypridd.
  • Gelliwastad Grove, Thomas Street, Graigwen Place onto Graigwen Road, Pontypridd
  • High Street, The Graig into Factory Lane onto Sardis Road, Pontypridd
  • B4273 Berw Road, Pontypridd to Ynysybwl
  • High Street, Clive Terrace, Heol y Plwyf, Tai Newydd, Glanfrwyd Terrace, Clydach Road, Clydach Terrace, Windsor Place, Ynysybwl

Mountain Roads closed
From 6pm on Saturday (January 9) all three mountains roads of the Bwlch, Rhigos and Maerdy will remain closed until further notice.

This is as a result of the dwindling levels of salt and the threat of further severe weather. The authority has no choice but to close the roads as a matter of urgent public safety.

Refuse and Recycling
Fourteen refuse and 11 recycling vehicles were despatched across the county borough today (Friday Jan) in a bid to clear the collection backlog, with a focus on main roads and town centres.

The teams have also made full appraisals of areas to which they have to return one conditions have improved. There are still some areas that have not had collections due to the fact they have been rendered inaccessible by the road conditions. The authority is monitoring such situations in a bid to return to those areas as soon as possible.

While staff cleared as much of the collection work as they could during their efforts today, it is unlikely any further collection efforts will take place over the weekend.

Schools
As of 8pm this evening (Friday Jan 8) all schools were expected to open on Monday (Jan 11).

However, with further severe weather expected over the weekend, the situation may change.

All Head Teachers have been given emergency contact information to enable them to update the Council as soon as they have made a decision on the opening arrangements for their school.

As soon as such information is received from the schools, the School closures page, will be updated.

Examinations are due to begin next week and schools have said that, even if they are forced to close to all other pupils, they will do all they can to provide accommodation for candidates.

Pupils undertaking exams next week should have been contacted personally by their school to make them aware of the arrangements. If they are unsure, they are urged to contact their school first thing Monday.

Social Care
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and our partner Social Care providers have adverse weather contingency plans so can be expected to provide the best service possible within prevailing conditions. If services are disrupted, social care staff will endeavour to ensure client contact is maintained.

The Council is urging residents to be mindful of elderly and frail neighbours this Winter, particularly during this cold snap. If you are going to the supermarket or chemist does a neighbour need some provisions or a prescription can you help? Would you be able to clear a neighbour’s path so that social care services can continue to support them

Sports fixtures
Due to the current poor weather conditions and frozen ground, all weekend sports fixtures for Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10, 2010, on Rhondda Cynon Taf pitches have been cancelled.

Events
The Welsh Model Show which was due to take place at Rhondda Fach Sports Centre, Tylorstown, on Saturday and Sunday, January 9 and 10, 2010, has been cancelled due to the current poor weather conditions.

Salt Stocks
Across the UK, salt stock levels are falling and suppliers are unable to fully restock Councils.

Coordination of the distribution of salt is now being made via the Welsh Assembly Government’s salt cell.

Rhondda Cynon Taf, which has already gritted over 30,000km of road, using 5,300 tonnes of salt, was expecting 12 further deliveries to keep its stocks up.

It has only received four deliveries, which has led to the decision above to focus on the critical network only.

Again, such a decision was only made following an appraisal of the situation in the county and consideration of the severe weather warning issued by the Met Office in relation to further freezing, icy conditions and snowfall.

The authority will continue to assess the situation constantly and make changes if needed.

Motorists and pedestrians alike are urged to take extreme care on the highways and pavements.

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