Key Points
- Transport for Wales has launched a public consultation regarding an extension of the passenger rail services to link Aberdare and Hirwaun.
- The consultation period starts on Monday 12 October and ends on Sunday 22 November 2026.
- The rail route will make use of the old railway corridor that served Tower Colliery.
- Proposed new railway stations are Llwydcoed and Hirwaun.
- According to Transport for Wales, this project has the potential to enhance connectivity within the Upper Cynon Valley, and also with Pontypridd and Cardiff beyond that.
- This project has not been funded as of now.
- In its Vision for Rail Report, which was published recently by Transport for Wales, the total cost of this project was estimated as “under £50m”.
- Commenting on the project, Rob Jones who is the Strategic Development Programme Manager at Transport for Wales, highlighted the importance of local knowledge and priorities for the next phase of development.
- This project will be part of the South Wales Metro initiative.
Wales (Wales Times) October 12, 2026 — Transport for Wales has launched a public consultation on plans to extend passenger rail services beyond Aberdare to Hirwaun, in the Upper Cynon Valley.
As reported by ITV News Wales, the proposal would use the former railway corridor that previously served Tower Colliery. The route currently ends at Aberdare, and the extension would reintroduce passenger services along the existing railway corridor between Aberdare and Hirwaun.
Transport for Wales says the plans include new railway stations at Llwydcoed and Hirwaun. The organisation describes the scheme as part of its wider South Wales Metro vision, which aims to create a more integrated transport network across south-east Wales.
The consultation gives residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to comment before the proposals move into the next stage of development.
Why Is the Consultation Being Held Now?
Transport for Wales has opened the engagement exercise to gather local views on the proposed Aberdare to Hirwaun Metro extension. The consultation began on Monday 12 October and will remain open until Sunday 22 November 2026.
In a statement quoted by ITV News Wales, Rob Jones, Strategic Development Programme Manager at Transport for Wales, said: “This engagement is an important opportunity for local communities to help shape proposals that have the potential to transform connectivity across the Upper Cynon Valley.”
He added: “Improving access to jobs, education and healthcare can make a real difference to people’s lives, and we want to ensure local knowledge and local priorities help inform the next stage of development.”
Transport for Wales says the consultation is intended to ensure that local residents and stakeholders can help shape the future of transport in the area. The organisation has not announced a decision on whether the extension will proceed.
Which New Stations Could Be Built?
The current proposals include two new railway stations: one at Llwydcoed and one at Hirwaun.
Transport for Wales says the scheme would extend passenger rail services from Aberdare, where services presently terminate, to Hirwaun. The proposed route would follow the former railway corridor associated with Tower Colliery.
The project page published by Transport for Wales states that the proposals being explored include extending passenger services beyond Aberdare to Hirwaun, building new stations at Llwydcoed and Hirwaun, and enabling future improvements to local walking, wheeling and cycling networks.
No opening date, timetable or final station design has been confirmed. The consultation is at an early stage, and Transport for Wales says the project remains under development.
How Much Could the Rail Extension Cost?
Transport for Wales’ recent Vision for Rail report estimated that the Aberdare to Hirwaun extension would cost “under £50m”, according to ITV News Wales.
However, the broadcaster also reported that the project is not yet funded. This means that no construction programme, funding allocation or delivery timetable has been confirmed.
Transport for Wales says it is exploring the plans with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, the Welsh Government and the uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff Capital Region. The consultation will help inform the next stage of development, but it does not amount to approval or a commitment to build the extension.
What Would the Extension Mean for Travel?
Transport for Wales says the proposed extension could improve connectivity across the Upper Cynon Valley and provide better onward links to Pontypridd and Cardiff.
The organisation’s project information says the scheme could see passenger services reintroduced along the existing railway corridor between Aberdare and Hirwaun. It also describes Hirwaun as having the potential to become a sustainable transport hub and a gateway to the Brecon Beacons.
In its wider Metro development information, Transport for Wales says the first Metro extension is planned from Aberdare to Hirwaun using the old freight line that served Tower Colliery. It says the route would include an intermediate station at Llwydcoed and could support economic development and tourism.
These are stated aims of the organisations developing the project. The consultation does not confirm that services will operate, how frequently they would run, or when construction could begin.
What Happens During the Consultation?
The public engagement period runs from Monday 12 October to Sunday 22 November 2026.
Transport for Wales says local residents, businesses and stakeholders can take part and help shape the proposals. The consultation covers the proposed extension of passenger services, the potential new stations and related improvements to walking, wheeling and cycling networks.
The consultation is a formal opportunity for people to submit views before further development work takes place. Transport for Wales has said that local knowledge and local priorities should inform the next stage of the project.
No final business case, funding decision or construction consent has been announced in the material published so far.
Background of the Development
The Aberdare to Hirwaun proposal has been under development for several years. In January 2023, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council announced that it had secured £239,633 from the Welsh Government through the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority to fund further studies for the Metro Plus project.
According to the council’s 2023 announcement, earlier work at WelTAG Stage 2, the outline business case stage, considered two options and identified a preferred option. That option proposed extending rail services from Aberdare station to Hirwaun, with three new stations at Llwydcoed, Hirwaun Station Road/Penyard and Hirwaun Tower Colliery.
The council said Transport for Wales was managing the project and that the funding would support work by consultant Atkins Global Ltd, enabling a WelTAG Stage 3 full business case to take place in 2023/24.
Transport for Wales’ current project page now refers to two proposed stations, at Llwydcoed and Hirwaun, and says the extension would use the existing railway corridor between Aberdare and Hirwaun. The organisation says it is working with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, the Welsh Government and the Cardiff Capital Region on the plans.
The former corridor is linked to Tower Colliery, which Transport for Wales says was served by the old freight line. The proposed extension forms part of the wider South Wales Metro programme, which seeks to expand and integrate rail, bus and active-travel connections across the Cardiff Capital Region.
How Could This Affect Local Residents?
If the project progresses, residents in Hirwaun and Llwydcoed could gain direct rail access towards Aberdare, Pontypridd and Cardiff. Transport for Wales says this could improve access to jobs, education and healthcare for communities in the Upper Cynon Valley.
For commuters, the extension could reduce reliance on road travel for journeys towards the Cardiff Capital Region, although the actual impact would depend on future service frequency, ticketing, journey times and connections at Aberdare and Pontypridd. Those details have not been confirmed.
For local businesses, Transport for Wales says the scheme could support economic development and tourism by making Hirwaun a sustainable transport hub and gateway to the Brecon Beacons. Improved public transport could also benefit people who do not drive, including younger people, older residents and those without access to a car.
