Plans to create a traffic-free route that will link Pontypridd and Treforest have been given the go-ahead following a Welsh Assembly announcement.

This will also take in Sustrans’ Connect2 project for a traffic-free route between Treforest and Pontypridd. The £1.1 Million project will make it easier for the people in the town to get about by foot or by bike.

The scheme is progressing, with the Memorandum of Understanding now signed, which confirms the partners’ continued commitment to the project. The £650,000 of European money adds to £450,000 from Sustrans’Connect2 lottery award and allows work to get underway.

The Treforest scheme is one of 79 projects being implemented thanks to Sustrans’ successful £50million Connect2 bid. This UK-wide project will create new cycling and walking routes to improve local travel in 79 communities. Connect2 was awarded its Living Landmarks: The People’s Millions grant after winning a public vote televised on ITV1 in December 2007.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Transportation and Customer Care Cllr Andrew Morgan said: “Rhondda Cynon Taf Council played an active role in raising the profile of this scheme throughout the county borough and was instrumental in ensuring that Sustrans’ Connect 2 lottery bid was successfully achieved.

“We remain committed to working closely with Sustrans in delivering the scheme earmarked for the Treforest area which will greatly enhance the cycle network between Church Village and Pontypridd.

“Thanks to such partnership working we envisage a high-quality route and provision of a footbridge to allow easy access for pedestrians and cyclists alike.”

The proposals for the Pontypridd scheme include the option of a footbridge across the railway line at the University of Glamorgan’s Treforest campus to provide a link to residential areas and the University’s Glyntaff campus to the east. The bridge would be supported by improvements to the wider walking and cycling network throughout Treforest and the provision of an off road route to Tonteg.

Improved links will also be provided to Pontypridd town centre, the education facilities of Coleg Morgannwg in Rhydyfelin, leisure facilities of Ynysyngharad Park and the wider National Cycle Network.

Lee Waters, Sustrans’ Cymru Director, said: “It’s an exciting time for walking and cycling in the Valleys. As well as the great new route in Pontypridd we now have funding for a path between Talbot Green and Tonyrefail which links into an existing path to Bridgend.

Work is well underway on the new community route as part of the Church Village by-pass. The Local Authority are leading the way by ensuing that new road schemes have provision for walking and cycling built into them.

“All of these efforts should help to make walking and cycling the obvious choice for so many of our everyday journeys. We hope this will be a step towards more people being more active, more often by walking and cycling instead of getting in the car”.

The three-year Valleys Cycle Network will receive £3.5 million from the Convergence European Regional Development Fund, £3 million from the Welsh Assembly Government as well as support from the Big Lottery Fund.

Together with the previously allocated £3.2 million from the Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys Project and £5million from the Valleys Partnership VRP project, a total of £16 million will be invested in the Valleys Cycle Network.