A465 dualling given go-ahead

Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart has given the go-ahead for the A465 dualling between Gilwern and Brynmawr.

The Minister has considered the report of the planning inspector following a public inquiry in April and decided that the draft orders are to be made. If there are no legal challenges to the orders process, work will start towards the end of this year and is expected to be completed in 2018.

Mrs Hart said: “The A465 forms part of the Trans-European road network and is an important trunk road in south Wales. This dualling scheme will improve safety and journey times along this section and supports the regeneration of the Heads of the Valleys area by providing improved transport links to and from the east.”

The 8.1km length of road will be the fourth section of the A465 Heads of the Valleys dualling project to be delivered. It will involve widening the existing A465 which passes through Clydach Gorge, alongside the River Clydach and a number of communities either side of the road.

The new section will link up with Section 1 (Abergavenny to Gilwern) completed in 2008 and Section 3 (Brynmawr to Tredegar) due for completion in 2015 to provide a continuous dual carriageway from Abergavenny to Merthyr.