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Abnormal load travelling through Merthyr Tydfil

  • Categories : Press Release
  • 11 Jan 2024
Abnormal vehicle Jan 2024 (1)
To help support Great Britain’s energy security during periods of peak electricity demand the UK Government is installing a number of power plants around the UK. Hirwaun Power Station has been chosen as one of the key locations and three major components need to be transported from Newport Docks to the site at Hirwaun.

The three components consist of a gas turbine, generator and transformer. Each component will be transported over three consecutive weekends starting this week on Sunday 14th January. Transporting each element is a considerable challenge due to their size and weight, and due to logistical issues together with restrictions at certain locations it will be necessary for the transportation to travel on Merthyr roads between Pentrebach roundabout and the A470 Rhydycar roundabout.  

The size of each transportation will be over 504-tonnes in weight, 6.76m wide, a rigid length of 57m and a total length of 78m. Two 44-tonne trucks will be pushing and pulling at either end and speed will be between 5-10mph. This will no doubt be the largest transport that has ever travelled through Merthyr Tydfil.

Between the hours of 11pm on Sunday 14th January and 6am on Monday 15th January 2024 the first of these transportations - the gas turbine - will be traveling on the A4054 between Pentrebach roundabout and Caedraw roundabout and then onto the A4102 towards the A470 Rhydycar roundabout. 

A rolling road closure under police escort will be in place while the vehicles are in transit and sections of the road will be reopened as soon as the vehicles have passed through. 

A number of pedestrian traffic light signals, street lighting columns, road signs and other street furniture will be temporarily removed as the transportation will overhang the footpaths along the route. These will all be replaced upon completion of the transports.

Parking will also be prohibited along the route during this time specifically on Plymouth Street and any cars that remain parked while the vehicle is in transit will be removed by the police.

A letter drop to affected residents has been carried out by the Haulage company who are solely responsible for transporting the three components. 

The rolling road closure and parking restrictions will also apply on Sunday 21st and Sunday 28th January to transport the remaining generator and transformer.

It must be noted that cancellation of these movements is possible if road surface temperatures are too low. For latest updates on whether it will proceed and timings please see the news section of the Council’s website, which will be updated on Sunday: https://www.merthyr.gov.uk/news-and-events/

**UPDATE AS @6PM SUNDAY 14TH JANUARY 2024**

The vehicle has left Llanfoist, however due to weather conditions the transportation will stop at Dowlais this evening and the route will be re-assessed tomorrow.

We will provide an update from the haulage company as soon as we have one. 

**UPDATE AS @1PM MONDAY 15TH JANUARY 2024**
We have been advised by Allelys, the Haulage company responsible for transporting the heavy load vehicle, that it will be leaving its current location at Dowlais at 6pm this evening, travelling along its planned route through Merthyr Tydfil and on to the A470.
It is estimated that the vehicle will reach the area near Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Village at around 9pm, with the aim of reaching a designated layby on the A470 near Cefn roundabout by 11pm, before continuing its onward journey.
As originally planned, a rolling road closure under police escort will be in place while the vehicles are in transit and sections of the road will be reopened as soon as the vehicles have passed through. We ask residents to please plan their journeys in advance.

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