A4061 Reopens After Four-Month Closure Due to Rockfall Risk

A vital connecting road, closed for four months for necessary repair work, reopened on Friday evening. The A4061, which links Hirwaun and Treherbert, had been inaccessible since July as Rhondda Cynon Taf council undertook “absolutely necessary” maintenance on the mountain. A risk of rockfall has been present since a 2022 grass fire damaged the protective netting on the slopes of the 491m (1,610ft) Rhigos mountain. A council spokesperson indicated that the repairs were intended to “rectify damage caused by the previous fire” and ensure the commuter route “remains available for communities into the future.” The spokesperson further added that without the completion of this work, “the rockface could have deteriorated further.” The standard nine-mile journey between Hirwaun and Treherbert, traversing the Rhigos mountain pass, typically takes approximately 20 minutes. However, during the closure, drivers were advised to utilize an alternative route: the A4233 between Tylorstown and Aberdare over the Maerdy mountain, followed by the B4275 between Aberdare and Hirwaun, a journey that extends to almost an hour. The council spokesperson expressed gratitude to residents and road users for their patience, stating that they “do not underestimate the disruption that these works have caused.”