With its quiet close-knit atmosphere and array of local businesses the village of Cefn-Coed-y-Cymmer is exactly what you’d expect of a traditional valleys village.
Located just on the edge of Merthyr Tydfil the village is the last community before you enter Brecon Beacons National Park. For decades the pubs, cafes, and shops have benefited from the village being a popular pit-stop for the motorists and cyclists who pass through it to the beauty spot.
But in 2021 business came to a complete standstill for some owners – and it’s not because of the coronavirus pandemic. Rather it’s down to the 11-mile stretch of major road works on the A465 that cuts through the village, business owners have said.
Section five and six of the the work spans from Dowlais Top to Hirwaun and is costing the Welsh Government £590m. It isn’t set to be completed for at least another four years. It has seen the road bridge at the top of lower High Street shut since September for at least two years. The bridge not only connects upper and lower Cefn Coed but it is also the main route for motorists through…
