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Porth

Porth is a town and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys in the Rhondda Valley, with its name deriving from Welsh for "the gate" in reference to this gateway position.^[1] Prior to industrialization, the area was a sparsely populated rural landscape of natural beauty, but it transformed into a coal mining hub during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the valleys' collieries expanded, driving population growth and infrastructure development including railways.^[2] All local mines have since closed, leaving a legacy tied to the industry's boom and decline, exemplified by the 1877 Tynewydd Colliery disaster nearby, where an inundation trapped miners for days, resulting in five deaths but also celebrated rescue heroism that prompted the extension of the Albert Medal to civilians.^[3]^[4]

Geography

Location and physical features

Porth lies within the Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough in south Wales, part of the historic county of Glamorgan, at coordinates 51°37′N 3°24′W.^[5] The settlement occupies a position along the River Rhondda, at the confluence where the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach tributaries merge before the main river flows southeast toward Pontypridd, approximately 4 kilometers to the south.^[6]^[7] The topography of Porth is defined by the narrow Rhondda Valley, with the river valley floor flanked by steep slopes ascending to hills reaching elevations over 500 meters, such as those associated with Carn Moesen nearby.^[8] This valley configuration, typical of the South Wales Coalfield, features constrained flat land along the watercourse amid parallel ridges and elevated terrain that restricted expansive settlement patterns.^[9] Key physical landmarks include the Rheola Bridge spanning the river at the confluence point, underscoring the area's fluvial characteristics within the broader coalfield geology dominated by carboniferous strata.^[6] The surrounding hills and valley sides, shaped by geological folding and erosion, contribute to a rugged landscape that integrates Porth into the interconnected valleys of the Rivers Rhondda, Taff, and Cynon.^[10]

Climate and environment

Porth experiences a temperate maritime climate characteristic of the South Wales valleys, with mild temperatures and high precipitation influenced by Atlantic weather systems. Average annual temperatures range from about 5°C in winter to 15°C in summer, with a yearly mean of approximately 11°C. Rainfall is abundant and evenly distributed, totaling around 1,200 mm annually, with November typically the wettest month at over 80 mm and fewer than 10 dry days per year on average.^[11]^[12] The region's environment bears significant legacies from extensive coal mining, including subsidence risks from underground workings and instability in disused coal tips, which number over 2,500 across the south Wales coalfield. These tips pose hazards such as landslips exacerbated by heavy rainfall, water pollution from leachate, and potential spontaneous combustion, with mining activities historically causing land subsidence that disrupts surface structures and hydrology.^[13]^[14]^[15] Post-1966 Aberfan disaster regulations prompted inspections and stabilization efforts, though full remediation remains incomplete; recent initiatives include £34 million in funding for tip safety improvements and monitoring to mitigate climate-driven risks like intensified storms. Efforts toward valley reforestation and habitat restoration occur, but quantifiable data on biodiversity recovery in the Rhondda remains limited, with ongoing concerns over tip stability amid illegal activities that could accelerate erosion.^[16]^[17]^[18]

History

Origins and early settlement

Porth, rendered in Welsh as Y Porth, derives its name from the word porth, signifying "gate" or "gateway," a designation tied to its position at the junction of the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach rivers, where it functioned as the principal entry to the upper valleys.^[2]^[19]^[20] Before widespread industrialization in the 19th century, the locality supported limited pre-industrial activity characteristic of the lower Rhondda, with settlement patterns centered on small-scale agriculture and pastoral farming rather than concentrated habitation. The 1841 tithe map for the area records no urban features at Porth itself, portraying instead a dispersed rural setting of fields and farmsteads aligned along the river courses, underscoring its role as an unassuming hamlet amid the valley's pre-coal economy.^[21]^[22] Documentary and archaeological traces of earlier occupation in the Rhondda basin point to prehistoric human presence potentially extending to 4400 BC, though specific medieval or post-medieval records for Porth remain scant, reflecting the region's marginal documentation outside major estates or ecclesiastical holdings.^[7]

Industrial expansion and coal mining

The development of coal mining propelled Porth's growth from the 1840s onward, as private entrepreneurs exploited the Rhondda Valley's bituminous seams for steam coal, which proved superior for naval and industrial use due to its low sulfur content and high heat value. George Insole leased mineral rights in September 1844 and opened the South Cymmer Level that year to access workable seams, followed by sinking the Cymmer No. 1 (Old) Pit in 1847 targeting the Rhondda No. 3 seam at depths exceeding 200 yards.^[23]^[24] By 1855, Insole had developed the adjacent New Cymmer Pit, incorporating early steam-powered winding engines that boosted extraction rates from hand-hewing methods.^[24] These ventures, alongside nearby collieries like Upper Cymmer opened in 1869, transformed Porth from a sparsely populated farming hamlet into a mining hub, with private investments in inclined planes and later rail links to ports facilitating export volumes that rose from negligible pre-1840 levels to millions of tons annually across the Rhondda by the 1870s. Population expansion mirrored mining output, surging due to labor demand that drew migrants from rural Welsh counties and northern England, where agricultural displacement and industrial skills converged with valley opportunities. The broader Rhondda Fawr area's residents increased from 1,998 in the 1851 census to 55,632 by 1881, with Porth's vicinity absorbing thousands as colliery villages proliferated; census enumerators noted Ystradyfodwg parish (encompassing Porth) hosting over 10,000 by 1871, up from under 500 two decades prior, sustained by family-based workforce recruitment and rudimentary housing built by colliery owners.^[25]^[26] Productivity gains stemmed from empirical adaptations like improved ventilation via furnace drafts and tramway rails, which reduced haulage times and accident rates short of explosions, enabling annual outputs per pit to climb from hundreds to thousands of tons by the 1870s.^[27] Labor organization emerged concurrently, with early miners' lodges forming under the Cambrian Miners' Association by the late 1860s, evolving into the Rhondda District in 1872 to coordinate bargaining amid volatile coal prices tied to export markets.^[28] Strikes in the 1870s, including a widespread action in 1871 involving Rhondda and Aberdare pits that idled 12,000 workers for weeks, halted production and imposed economic costs on owners—evidenced by deferred wages and output shortfalls—but compelled concessions on pay scales linked to seam quality, as verified in contemporary arbitration records and lodge minutes.^[28] Such militancy reflected causal tensions between piece-rate incentives driving overwork and collective pushes for safety and earnings stability, though disruptions periodically curbed the valley's employment peak of around 41,000 by 1913.^[29]

Tynewydd Colliery disaster of 1877

On 11 April 1877, an inundation of water from the adjacent abandoned Cymmer Colliery flooded the workings of Tynewydd Colliery in the Rhondda Valley, trapping 14 miners underground in the No. 3 Rhondda seam. The breach occurred through an insufficient coal barrier, approximately 44 yards thick, between the pits, exacerbated by a geological fault that management had underestimated. Five miners drowned in the initial surge—John Hughes (aged 50), his son William Hughes (18), William Morgan (28), Robert Rogers (13), and Edward Williams (35)—while nine others survived, with four rescued after approximately 18 hours and the remaining five after nine days of isolation.^[4]^[30] The rescue operation, led by local colliery officials and volunteer miners, involved manually excavating over 120 yards through solid coal to reach the trapped men, as mechanical pumping proved insufficient against the water volume and pressure. Divers were deployed but failed due to strong currents and poor visibility, reaching only partial distances before retreating. Rescuers contended with acute engineering hazards, including the risk of sudden water resurgence, accumulation of firedamp gas necessitating ventilation via air doors, and explosive releases of compressed air from the flood zone, which claimed an additional life during efforts. Despite these perils, the final barrier was breached on 20 April 1877, freeing David Jenkins, George Jenkins, Moses Powell, John Thomas, and David Hughes, who had subsisted on minimal water rations amid dwindling air.^[4]^[30] The extraordinary valor of the rescuers, drawn from the immediate mining community without reliance on external state apparatus, was recognized through the awarding of Albert Medals—the inaugural instance of these honors for terrestrial civilian gallantry. Four received First Class medals (Isaac Pride, John William Howell, Daniel Thomas, and William Beith), with 21 others granted Second Class distinctions, underscoring the self-reliant fortitude of Welsh colliers in confronting existential threats.^[30]^[4] An inquest convened by Coroner George Overton revealed systemic safety lapses attributable to the colliery's private management: exploratory boreholes, required within five yards of potential water sources under the Coal Mines Inspection Act 1872, were not drilled, and early indicators of water proximity—such as wet coal in headings—were disregarded in favor of expediting extraction. These oversights, rooted in operational decisions prioritizing productivity over rigorous precaution, directly precipitated the barrier's failure, as confirmed by post-flood tracing of the water source to Cymmer's 75-foot level drop. Manager James Thomas faced manslaughter charges for negligence, though the jury ultimately failed to convict, highlighting the era's tensions between industrial imperatives and empirical risk assessment.^[30]^[4]

20th-century developments and decline

The Rhondda valleys, including Porth, experienced severe economic contraction in the interwar period following World War I, driven by declining coal exports, exhausted seams, and global competition from alternative fuels. Unemployment rates in the region exceeded 30% in the 1920s and surged to over 40% by the early 1930s, with some localities reaching 80% amid the Great Depression.^[31] This slump prompted significant out-migration, as families sought work elsewhere, contributing to a 36% population loss in areas like Rhondda by the late 1930s.^[29] World War II provided a temporary revival, as heightened demand for coal to support munitions production and wartime energy needs boosted output and employment in Welsh pits, including those near Porth. However, this resurgence proved short-lived, with post-war reconstruction shifting energy priorities toward oil and nuclear alternatives, exacerbating underlying resource depletion in the aging coalfields.^[32] The Labour government's nationalization of the coal industry in 1947 under the National Coal Board aimed to modernize operations and improve safety, yet it failed to halt the structural decline; prices rose sharply post-nationalization—reaching six times pre-war levels by the late 1950s—while inefficiencies and persistent seam exhaustion limited competitiveness against imported fuels.^[33]^[34] Local collieries, such as Lewis Merthyr near Porth, continued operating but faced mounting closures, with the last Rhondda pit, Maerdy, shutting in 1990.^[7] The 1984–85 miners' strike, involving 22,000 Welsh miners in opposition to planned closures, accelerated the industry's collapse by deepening financial losses and eroding government support for uneconomic pits, leading to widespread redundancies and the effective end of deep mining in the region by the decade's close.^[35] Porth's population roughly halved from its early 20th-century peak by the 2001 census, reflecting sustained out-migration of skilled labor amid deindustrialization.^[36]

Demographics

Population changes

The population of Porth, a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, grew rapidly during the 19th century amid the expansion of coal mining, rising from approximately 1,000 residents in 1841 to a peak of around 8,000 by 1921, driven by influxes of workers to local collieries. This expansion reflected broader industrialization in the Rhondda valleys, where mining employment attracted migrants from rural Wales and beyond. Following the decline of the coal industry after World War II, particularly with widespread pit closures in the 1980s, the population fell steadily due to job losses prompting out-migration, reaching 5,970 in the 2011 census and 5,668 in 2021. Post-deindustrialization, Porth has exhibited an aging demographic profile, with elevated dependency ratios linked to the exodus of working-age individuals during mine shutdowns, leaving a higher proportion of retirees and children relative to the labor force.^[37] In Rhondda Cynon Taf, the overall dependency ratio stood at around 630 per 1,000 working-age people in recent projections, exceeding national averages due to these structural shifts.^[37] Birth rates in the area have remained low, aligning with Wales' total fertility rate of approximately 1.5 children per woman in the early 2020s, contributing to limited natural population growth.^[38] Net out-migration has been a key driver of stagnation, with residents, particularly younger cohorts, relocating to urban centers like Cardiff or England for employment opportunities, as evidenced by internal UK migration flows showing consistent outflows from Rhondda Cynon Taf to these destinations since the 1990s.^[39] This pattern offsets minor natural increase, resulting in a 5% population drop between 2011 and 2021 despite slight regional upticks elsewhere in the county borough.^[40]

Socioeconomic characteristics

Porth ranks among the more deprived communities in Wales, with several of its Lower-layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) falling within the top 20% most deprived nationally under the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) 2019, particularly in domains such as income, employment, and health.^[41] This deprivation stems from the structural economic shifts following the coal industry's collapse in the 1980s, which left enduring skill mismatches between the local workforce—historically geared toward manual labor—and emerging opportunities in a post-industrial economy.^[42] Out-of-work benefit claimant rates in Rhondda Cynon Taf, encompassing Porth, exceed 20% of the working-age population as of recent quarterly data, underscoring reliance on welfare amid limited local job creation.^[43] Employment has pivoted to retail, distribution, and basic services, sectors vulnerable to national trends; the closure of the New Look store in Porth on February 22, 2025, exemplifies this fragility, eliminating retail positions in an already constrained high street economy.^[44] Chronic health conditions prevail at rates above Welsh averages, with legacies of coal dust exposure contributing to elevated incidences of pneumoconiosis and related respiratory diseases; historical surveys indicate over 22,000 cases across South Wales mining regions, correlating with persistent morbidity in former coalfield areas like Porth.^[45]^[46]

Cultural and linguistic profile

In Rhondda Cynon Taf, which encompasses Porth, the 2021 census recorded approximately 14-15% of residents aged three and over as Welsh speakers, reflecting a broader decline across south Wales industrial valleys.^[47] This marks a substantial drop from the early 20th century, when over 60% of the Rhondda valley population, including Porth, reported Welsh-speaking ability in the 1901 census, driven by in-migration of English-speaking workers during coal mining booms that accelerated anglicization through workplace, school, and community interactions.^[48] ^[49] Porth's cultural identity remains tied to Wales's nonconformist tradition, with chapels serving as central hubs for social cohesion, moral education, and communal gatherings amid industrial hardships, fostering a legacy of hymn-singing, temperance movements, and mutual aid societies that reinforced community resilience.^[50] Local participation in eisteddfodau, competitive festivals of poetry, music, and recitation, persists through school programs and regional events, preserving elements of oral tradition despite reduced fluency.^[51] Bilingual signage in public spaces, shops, and transport in Porth adheres to Welsh government standards, promoting visibility of the language, yet surveys indicate English predominates in everyday conversations and media consumption, with Welsh often limited to ceremonial or educational contexts in this anglicized region.^[52]

Economy

Mining legacy and deindustrialization

The Rhondda Valley, encompassing Porth, reached peak coal production in 1913, when South Wales coalfields extracted approximately 57 million tons annually, employing over 250,000 miners and supplying a significant portion of Britain's coal exports that powered global shipping and industry.^[53]^[54] This output relied on accessible seams of high-quality steam coal, but reserves began depleting post-World War I, with South Wales production falling from 19.5 million tons in 1960 to 11.7 million tons by 1970 amid geological exhaustion and rising extraction costs.^[55] Nationalization of the coal industry in 1947 under the National Coal Board consolidated operations but correlated with sustained productivity declines, as output per worker stagnated due to reduced managerial incentives and bureaucratic inefficiencies, contributing to a 44% drop in total UK coal production over the subsequent four decades despite mechanization efforts.^[56] Economic analyses attribute this partly to softened price signals and overstaffing in uneconomic pits, exacerbating vulnerability to cheaper imported coal and alternative fuels like oil and nuclear power.^[34] The 1984–1985 miners' strike, involving Rhondda collieries including those near Porth, accelerated closures by halting production for nearly a year and imposing an estimated £1.5 billion cost on the UK economy through lost output and disrupted supply chains, equivalent to a 1–1.25% reduction in 1984 GDP growth.^[57]^[58] Post-strike, uneconomic pits shuttered rapidly, leaving structural unemployment in mining-dependent areas like Porth, where colliery work had defined local economies. Deindustrialization shifted former miners toward state benefits, with English and Welsh coalfields seeing over 100,000 men reclassified from unemployment to incapacity benefits by the early 2000s, masking true joblessness rates and fostering dependency patterns documented in labor market studies from 1981–1991.^[59]^[60] This reliance sustained community survival but, per analyses of coalfield transitions, contributed to diminished labor participation and skill atrophy, as benefit structures disincentivized retraining amid limited alternative employment in service or manufacturing sectors.^[61] By the 2010s, Porth's socioeconomic profile reflected these legacies, with persistent above-average benefit claims tied to the mining downturn's market-driven imperatives rather than reversible policy alone.^[62]

Contemporary challenges and regeneration efforts

In recent years, Porth has faced significant retail decline, exemplified by the closure of the New Look store on Hannah Street in February 2025, which was the town's last national clothing retailer and only dedicated apparel outlet.^[63]^[64] This exit, attributed to rising operating costs, elevated business rates, and the shift toward online shopping, has exacerbated concerns over persistent commercial vacancies in the town centre.^[65] While quarterly monitoring in 2025 indicated increased footfall in Porth compared to prior periods, vacancy rates across Rhondda Cynon Taf town centres presented a mixed picture, with structural economic pressures limiting sustained private investment.^[66] Regeneration initiatives, guided by the 2019 Porth Town Centre Strategy, have sought to counter these challenges through targeted public interventions, though reliance on government grants highlights dependency on temporary funding streams. A key 2025 project involved revitalizing unused land on Hannah Street opposite the bingo hall, with construction from February 3 to March 2025 creating four short-stay parking spaces, landscaped verges, and public seating areas.^[67] Funded 70% by the Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Placemaking grant, the effort aims to enhance aesthetics, improve usability, and support local commerce by addressing parking constraints and eliminating an eyesore site acquired in 2022.^[67] However, such public-led enhancements have yielded limited evidence of attracting private sector commitment, as high business rates continue to erode return on investment potential amid ongoing retail attrition.^[65] The local economy's pivot toward service and gig-based employment has compounded regeneration hurdles, with a pronounced skills gap impeding higher-value growth. In Wales, 35% of vacancies in 2025 were classified as skill-shortage positions, reflecting mismatches in areas like time management and task prioritization that affect 58% of attributed gaps.^[68]^[69] Rhondda Cynon Taf reports underscore how this deficit, prevalent in post-industrial locales like Porth, sustains low-productivity service roles and hampers diversification, despite strategy aims for mixed-use vitality.^[70] Overall, while initiatives provide incremental improvements, entrenched fiscal disincentives and workforce limitations suggest modest efficacy in reversing deindustrialization's long-term impacts.^[71]

Governance and politics

Local administration

Porth forms an electoral ward within Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC), which elects three councillors to represent local interests as part of the council's 75-member body responsible for setting policies and budgets across the borough.^[72] The ward's representatives, including Councillor Ros Davis who serves as Presiding Officer for the 2025-2026 municipal year, contribute to oversight of devolved functions such as highways maintenance, environmental services, and community infrastructure in Porth.^[73] RCTCBC's powers are constrained by Welsh Government frameworks, limiting autonomous decision-making on major fiscal or developmental policies while focusing on delivery of statutory services like waste collection and local planning enforcement specific to areas like Porth. Budget allocations for routine maintenance, such as road repairs and public realm upkeep in the ward, are derived from a mix of sources, with council tax funding approximately 20-30% of operational costs amid heavy reliance on central grants tied to Valleys regional priorities.^[74] ^[75] The average council tax liability for an RCT household in 2025/26 falls around £1,500 after reductions, with Band D properties at £2,190 before discounts; however, fiscal pressures persist, including a projected £28 million budget shortfall for 2026/27 driven by stagnant Welsh Government funding increases of only 2%, necessitating efficiencies in service provision for wards like Porth.^[76] ^[77] Approximately 23,200 households borough-wide, including many in Porth, benefit from council tax reduction schemes covering up to 100% for low-income residents, underscoring the council's funding dependencies on national allocations rather than local revenue growth.^[78]

Political history and representation

The political representation of Porth, situated within the Rhondda constituency for UK Parliament (redrawn as Rhondda and Ogmore in 2024), has exhibited consistent Labour Party control since the constituency's 1974 recreation, building on earlier mining-era unionism that solidified working-class allegiance to Labour from the early 1900s.^[79] This dominance persisted through major elections, with Labour candidates securing majorities exceeding 50% in most contests until recent fragmentation.^[80] Chris Bryant, Labour MP since winning a 2001 by-election, retained the seat in 2024 with 17,118 votes (47.8% share), facing notable challenges from Reform UK (26.1%) but no shift in control.^[79] ^[80] In the Senedd, Rhondda's representation mirrors this pattern, with Labour holding the seat from 1999 to 2016 and reclaiming it in 2021 after a single-term interruption by Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood, who garnered support amid anti-austerity sentiments but lost to Labour's Buffy Williams with 11,511 votes.^[81] ^[82] Plaid Cymru challenges have remained sporadic, failing to dislodge Labour's structural advantages tied to historical union ties and welfare-oriented policies that prioritize state support in post-industrial communities over market-driven enterprise initiatives.^[83] Election data reveal chronically low voter turnout, averaging around 48% in the 2024 general election for Rhondda and Ogmore, suggestive of apathy or disillusionment under prolonged one-party dominance that empirical analyses link to reduced policy innovation and accountability in Welsh Labour strongholds.^[84] ^[85] Such patterns underscore causal links between entrenched representation and subdued electoral competition, with Reform UK's recent gains signaling potential erosion of traditional loyalties amid economic stagnation.^[80]^[86]

Society and culture

Community life and traditions

In the former mining villages of Porth and surrounding Rhondda areas, nonconformist chapels historically formed the moral and social backbone of community life, guiding values amid the rigors of industrial labor following the opening of local collieries.^[2] Public houses complemented this by providing essential gathering spaces for workers to unwind and build solidarity after shifts, a role documented in accounts of Rhondda hostelries quenching the thirst of laborers while sustaining informal networks.^[87] Remembrance of pivotal events like the 1877 Tynewydd Colliery inundation, where water trapped 14 men and prompted a heroic rescue earning the first land-based Albert Medals, underscores enduring narratives of resilience and mutual aid within these tight-knit groups.^[2] Such incidents, claiming five lives despite the efforts, are preserved in local heritage records, reinforcing communal bonds through shared historical reflection.^[88] Family structures in Porth reflect the legacy of mining interdependence, with close-knit, often multi-generational households emerging from economic pressures and the demands of colliery work, as chronicled in valley family sagas emphasizing collective endurance.^[89] Local media, such as WalesOnline's coverage of Porth-specific stories on daily hardships and gatherings, track these patterns amid post-industrial shifts toward digital dissemination.^[90]

Sport and recreation

Porth Harlequins RFC, a rugby union club established in the Rhondda Valley, serves as a key community hub, fostering social cohesion through its senior teams competing in Division One East Central of the Welsh Rugby Union leagues and its affiliated sports and social club facilities.^[91]^[92] The club acts as a feeder for the Cardiff Blues region, with matches and events drawing local participation, though overall adult sports engagement in Rhondda Cynon Taf remains limited, with 54% of residents reporting no sport or physical activity in the 2021-2022 National Survey for Wales. Traditional mining-era sports like boxing have seen marked decline, exemplified by closures and threats to local clubs such as the Rhondda Amateur Boxing Club and others facing facility issues since the 2010s, reflecting reduced memberships post-deindustrialization.^[93]^[94] This mirrors broader trends in former coal communities, where once-vibrant amateur boxing scenes tied to pit work have waned amid economic shifts, with current gym offerings sparse and often novice-focused rather than competitive.^[95] Recreational facilities include local parks and council-maintained walking trails repurposed from disused tramways and railways, such as those in the Rhondda pathways network, promoting low-impact activity amid high overweight and obesity rates—estimated at 62% for adults in the area as of early 2010s surveys, exceeding national averages.^[96] Leisure centers under Sport RCT initiatives provide access to gyms and pools nearby, but participation lags, with community sport rates below national benchmarks per recent school and adult surveys.^[97] These resources aim to counter sedentary lifestyles, yet empirical data underscores persistent challenges in uptake.^[98]

Notable individuals

The rescuers of the 1877 Tynewydd Colliery inundation, which flooded the workings on 11 April and trapped miners for over a week, demonstrated extraordinary bravery in perilous conditions, earning the first Albert Medals awarded for gallantry on land. Key figures included Thomas Williams, overman who coordinated early efforts; Abraham Isaac and John Thomas, who persisted in tunneling despite risks of further collapse and flooding; and Thomas Thomas, who sacrificed his life during the operation. These local colliers from Porth and nearby workings received first-class Albert Medals, while twenty others, such as George Ablett and Charles Baynham, were awarded second-class for support roles.^[99]^[100] Noah Ablett (1883–1935), born in Porth on 4 October 1883, rose from mining labor to become a prominent trade unionist and syndicalist thinker. After studying at Ruskin College, Oxford, he co-authored the influential 1912 pamphlet The Miners' Next Step, advocating industrial unionism and direct action over parliamentary politics, which shaped South Wales miners' militancy. Ablett led the Rhondda district of the South Wales Miners' Federation and influenced early 20th-century labor struggles.^[101]^[102] Gwyn Thomas (1913–1981), born on 6 July 1913 in Cymmer, Porth, became one of Wales's most prolific 20th-century writers, producing novels, plays, and scripts noted for their satirical portrayal of working-class life. Educated at Porth County School and Oxford, his works like The Alone to the Alone (1947) drew from Rhondda's industrial grit, earning acclaim for wit and social commentary; he also broadcast extensively, amplifying Welsh cultural voices.^[103]^[104]

Infrastructure

Education facilities

Education facilities in Porth are administered by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, which maintains primary and secondary schools serving the local population. Key primary institutions include Cymmer Primary School, located on High Street in Porth, and Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn, a Welsh-medium school established in 1951 that emphasizes bilingual education for early years pupils.^[105] ^[106] Porth Community School functions as the main 3-16 comprehensive secondary school, accommodating approximately 1,100 pupils across nursery to post-16 provision. Formed through amalgamation and refurbished with new builds opening in September 2018, the school has undergone Estyn inspections highlighting deficiencies; a 2020 report identified needs for significant improvement in teaching quality, pupil progress, and attendance rates, which had deteriorated despite interventions, though a 2022 monitoring visit confirmed sufficient progress toward recommendations.^[107] ^[108] ^[109] GCSE attainment in Rhondda Cynon Taf lags behind Welsh averages, with 60% of learners securing A*-C grades in 2019, compared to national rates exceeding 65% pre-pandemic.^[110] This underperformance correlates with elevated NEET rates, at 14.5% for 19- to 24-year-olds across Wales in the year ending March 2024, with RCT experiencing post-pandemic rises linked to economic disadvantage and limited post-16 pathways.^[111] ^[112] Vocational training for youth remains constrained in the area, with council offerings primarily adult-focused and apprenticeships scarce relative to demand. Historically, from the mid-19th century, mining apprenticeships dominated, as collieries like Cymmer provided hands-on entry for boys into roles such as hauliers and Hewers, fostering practical skills suited to the local economy.^[113] ^[2] ^[114] The shift toward academic-centric curricula has diminished trade-oriented programs, exacerbating NEET vulnerabilities and skills gaps in post-industrial Porth by prioritizing qualifications misaligned with regional job markets.^[115]

Transportation networks

Porth railway station lies on the Rhondda Line, offering commuter services to Cardiff Central operated by Transport for Wales with approximately hourly trains in each direction during peak periods.^[116]^[117] Bus networks link Porth to nearby valleys and Cardiff, supported by the Porth Bus Interchange, which integrates rail and bus operations and opened on 30 January 2025.^[118]^[119] The Porth and Lower Rhondda Fach Relief Road, completed in September 2007 at a cost of £98 million, provides an 8 km single-carriageway route bypassing congested areas through Porth, incorporating 11 bridges including the Rheola Bridge and a 5 km community path for pedestrians and cyclists.^[120]^[121] This infrastructure connects to the A4058 and A4119 but offers no direct motorway access, with the M4 reachable only via the A470 north of Pontypridd, exacerbating connectivity constraints in the Rhondda valleys.^[122] Car dependency remains high, with 68% of commutes in Rhondda Cynon Taf undertaken by car or van as of 2011 data, reflecting limited alternatives amid the area's topography and sparse public transport beyond valley corridors.^[123] The relief road's community path repurposes alignments for non-motorized travel, though overall networks underscore reliance on road and rail for external links.^[120]

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[15]
(PDF) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF COAL MINING: A SPECIAL ...
Jan 4, 2017 · Coal mining is usually associated with the degradation of natural resources and the destruction of habitat. This causes invasive species to occupy the area.
[16]
Coal tips that pose a danger to be tackled with £34m funding - BBC
Mar 20, 2025 · People will be protected from landslips, with more than £34m being invested to improve safety at coal tip sites across Wales.
[17]
Coal tips safety team aims to avert another Aberfan disaster - BBC
Nov 14, 2023 · Beth Jones is part of a team tasked with minimising the chances of any future coal tip disasters.
[18]
[PDF] Coal Mine Restoration in South Wales
Dec 31, 2022 · 2021 saw fresh calls for their reclamation amid fears of another Aberfan tragedy if the coal tips become unstable, estimated to cost £500-£600.
[19]
The stories behind the Rhondda's town, village and street names
Apr 22, 2016 · Porth means gate and is known as the gateway to Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach as both valleys meet at Porth.
[20]
Watts in a name - exploring the place names of Rhondda
Nov 12, 2022 · Porth – Y Porth – is 'the gateway', which is what it is – to the Rhondda Fawr and the Rhondda Fach; and Cymmer – the Welsh word cymer (' ...<|separator|>
[21]
Historic Landscape Characterisation The Rhondda 001 Porth - Heneb
Porth and its neighbouring settlements all originate with and are dependent on a fairly tight cluster of early collieries: Cymmer Colliery (1847-1940); Dinas ...Missing: origins 1800
[22]
Historic Landscape Characterisation The Rhondda - Heneb
The Rhondda is a large, well-known mining area with diverse archaeological resources, including pre-industrial, agricultural, and industrial landscapes, and is ...
[23]
Cymmer Colliery - Archives Hub - Jisc
The mineral rights for the colliery was leased by George Insole and his son, James in September 1844. The same year they opened the South Cymmer Level to the ...<|separator|>
[24]
Cymmer Colliery Porth - Welsh Coal Mines
In 1847 George Insole sank the Cymmer No.1 (old) pit near to the South Cymmer level, to the Rhondda No.3 seam. By 1855 he had sunk the New Cymmer Pit along ...
[25]
[PDF] How did Gender and Poverty Impact on the Experiences of the ...
Aug 15, 2023 · 4 Coal mining had transformed the Rhondda in one lifetime from a 'sleepy' rural population of 1,998 in 1851 to the second-largest urban.
[26]
South Wales Coalfield Timeline - AGOR
1800 – Development of the sale-coal industry in South Wales. 1837 – Opening of Abernant Colliery – growth of the Cynon Valley in sale-coal industry.
[27]
Cymmer Colliery (UK) - Durham Mining Museum
Cymmer Colliery ; 1915 - New - Coal: Steam. ; 1915 - No. 2 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing. ; 1915 - Old - Coal: Steam. ; 1915 - Upper - Coal: Household, ...
[28]
6 Early Trade Unions and Strife - Cynon Valley History Society
South Wales Miners Strike To the Miners of Cornwall Fellow Workmen: The Aberdare Rhondda and Merthyr miners are on strike to the number of 12,000. The ...
[29]
Economy - AGOR
In 1913, the Rhondda was at the height of its output, with over 50 deep mines and 41,000 miners. There were also around 40 mines in the Rhymney Valley. In the ...Missing: peak 1900
[30]
None
Below is a merged summary of the Tynewydd Colliery Tragedy of 1877, consolidating all the information from the provided segments into a comprehensive response. To handle the dense and overlapping details efficiently, I will use tables where appropriate (in CSV-like format) to organize key data such as dates, causes, trapped individuals, casualties, rescue efforts, awards, and inquiry results. The narrative will tie together the common themes and unique details, ensuring no information is lost.
[31]
Unemployment - Life during the Depression - WJEC - BBC
Unemployment rose to 2.5 million (25% of workforce) in 1933, especially in heavy industries. The Rhondda Valleys had rates over 40%. The dole was insufficient.
[32]
When coal was king in the Welsh valleys of the Rhondda
Nov 13, 2024 · These valleys are the coalfields of South Wales, narrow glens snaking their way south to north, from the Bristol Channel coast toward the Brecon Beacons.Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[33]
Coal Industry Comes Under Public Ownership in Britain
The pit owners were compensated for nationalisation – too generously in the view of many of Labour's left wing – and the coal industry remained high on Britain ...
[34]
Selected Facts in the British Nationalized Coal Industry - FEE.org
Under nationalization the price of coal rose to about six times its prewar figure, 16 shillings a ton at the pit head in 1939, against 96 shillings in 1958.
[35]
How did the 1980s miners' strike affect Wales? - BBC
Feb 18, 2024 · The industry had been nationalised in 1947 under the National Coal Board, but pits struggled to compete with cheaper fuel, often from abroad, ...
[36]
Population estimates by local authority and year - Stats Wales
The data presented here reflect changes made to population estimates from 2001 to 2010 in re-basing the data to be consistent with the results of Census 2011 ( ...
[37]
Economic history of Wales - Wikipedia
Wales experienced de-industrialisation in the late 20th century, becoming more of a service economy to the present day.
[38]
[PDF] Local Authority Population Projections for Wales ... - Blaenau Gwent
The dependency ratio within Rhondda Cynon Taf is projected to increase over the projection period from around 630 per 1,000 people of working age in mid ...
[39]
Births in England and Wales: 2024 (refreshed populations)
Aug 27, 2025 · The scale of change in the TFR between 2023 and 2024 was smaller in Wales than in England; the largest increase was only 0.07 (Ilse of Anglesey) ...Missing: dependency | Show results with:dependency
[40]
Migration between Wales and the rest of the UK by local authority ...
This data shows migration between Wales and the rest of the UK, broken down by local authority, sex, age, and net change (inflow minus outflow).
[41]
How life has changed in Rhondda Cynon Taf: Census 2021
Jan 19, 2023 · Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), the population of Rhondda Cynon Taf increased by 1.4%, from just over 234,400 in 2011 to ...
[42]
[PDF] Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) 2019: Results report
It moved from the 10-20% most deprived group in WIMD 2014 to the 30-50% most deprived group in WIMD 2019, and its overall Index rank changed from 280 to 577.Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[43]
[PDF] the state of the coalfields 2024 - Sheffield Hallam University
An older, slower growing population. The former coalfields of England, Scotland and Wales have a combined population of 5.7 million – roughly the same as a ...
[44]
Out-of-work benefit claimants by Welsh local authority, measure and ...
This dataset provides a quarterly snapshot of benefit claimants at particular points in time and are based on 100% of claimants so is not subject to any ...Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[45]
https://healthandcareresearchwales.org/withoutresearch/news/wales-heritage-research-excellence
[46]
Wales' rich heritage of research excellence
Mar 10, 2025 · Over 22,000 struggled with the lung disease pneumoconiosis ... Looking at how our environment influences risk of chronic diseases, like heart ...
[47]
The health legacy of coal mining: Analysis of mortality rates over ...
Aug 13, 2024 · The aim of this paper is to separate the legacy health effect of coal mining from unemployment, deprivation and social capital effects.Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[48]
Welsh language data from the Annual Population Survey: April 2024 ...
Jul 3, 2025 · The lowest estimated percentages of Welsh speakers are in Blaenau Gwent (11.6%) and Rhondda Cynon Taf (14.4%). 13.8% (423,900) of people ...
[49]
Modern history of Wales Facts for Kids
Sep 6, 2025 · The number of Welsh speakers in the Rhondda valley dropped from 64 percent in 1901 to 55 percent ten years later.
[50]
The Rhondda and the Welsh Language
Nov 20, 2013 · The figures speak for themselves. In 1891 the Rhondda population was 147,000 with 97,000 able to speak Welsh, of whom, 41,000 spoke only Welsh, ...
[51]
The Story of Nonconformity in Wales - Welsh Chapels
Nonconformity had a significant influence on the cultural, educational, political and social, as well as the religious life of Wales, from the eighteenth to ...Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[52]
School Curriculum - Porth Community School
All subjects, the Eisteddfod and extra-curricular activities promote Curriculum Cymreig to make sure pupils are aware of and celebrate their Welsh heritage.
[53]
Bilingualism on display: The framing of Welsh and English in Welsh ...
Jan 23, 2012 · This article develops an interpretive perspective on public displays of bilingualism. Photographic data from contemporary Wales illustrate how public bilingual ...Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[54]
The Changing Face of the South Wales Valleys Pt 1
Jun 9, 2020 · Pits were left to rot, unemployment rose, and mountains of black slag replaced the once green hills. As if this didn't make things bad enough, ...
[55]
than a century on, ghosts of one of Britain's worst mining disasters ...
Apr 11, 2018 · When fire broke out at the Great Western colliery on 11 April 1893 – 125 years ago today – more than 120 men were trapped below ground.
[56]
Maritime Colliery - Northern Mine Research Society
In 1960, 118 collieries produced 19,537,000 tons of coal with the manpower at 84,000 by 1970 the 52 collieries left in operation produced 11,685,478 tons of ...
[57]
The Effects of Nationalisation on the British Coal Industry - Etonomics
Apr 27, 2021 · In the first four decades after the nationalisation of the coal industry, total coal production in the UK decreased by 44%, despite the National ...
[58]
[PDF] MINERS' STRIKE - Wakefield - National Coal Mining Museum
Many miners returned to work following the 1984-85 Miners'. Strike by walking into the pit yard behind their colliery banner. The NUM was a powerful force ...
[59]
Miners' Strike: Overall Cost (Hansard, 19 February 1985)
Feb 19, 1985 · My Lords, the strike is estimated to have reduced growth in the gross domestic product by between 1 and 1¼per cent, in 1984, to 2½ per cent. As ...
[60]
Hidden legacy of pit closures | Communities - The Guardian
Mar 3, 2005 · The report estimated that overall, 100,000 men in the English and Welsh coalfields were diverted from unemployment on to incapacity benefit, ...
[61]
Life After Mining: Hidden Unemployment and Changing Patterns of ...
This paper examines how miners have been absorbed into the labour market over a ten-year period, between 1981 and 1991.Missing: effects | Show results with:effects
[62]
Mining communities, unemployment and incapacity benefits
In the English and Welsh coalfields in mid-2004, no fewer than 336,000 adults of working age (201,000 men, 135,000 women) were out of work and claiming ...Missing: effects ethic
[63]
South Wales mining communities 'still feeling' job cuts - BBC News
Jun 19, 2014 · Former coal mining communities across south Wales are still blighted by poverty and unemployment following pit closures, a new report claims.
[64]
New Look Closure – A Major Loss in Porth
Feb 1, 2025 · It has now been confirmed that New Look in Porth will be closing. This will mark the loss of the last national retailer and the only dedicated clothing store ...Missing: exits | Show results with:exits
[65]
New Look branch in Porth set to close | Wales Online
Feb 6, 2025 · A New Look spokesperson said: “Our store in Porth is set close on February 22. We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local ...
[66]
Porth's only Clothes Shop to Close Permanently. It's ... - Facebook
Feb 3, 2025 · 'New Look' clothes store based on Hannah street in Porth Rhondda will shut down permanently due to rising operating costs, high business rates, and the shift ...Missing: exits | Show results with:exits
[67]
[PDF] 31st March 2025 (Quarter 4) REPOR
Jul 7, 2025 · However, footfall and vacancy rates across our town centres show a mixed picture, with increased footfall in Porth and Treorchy but a slight ...
[68]
Work to revitalise an area of unused land in Porth Town Centre
Jan 21, 2025 · The Council can now confirm that construction work will get underway from Monday, February 3, and will be completed during March 2025. Overall, ...
[69]
[PDF] Welsh Government Evidence Paper - Skills - Senedd Business
Jul 17, 2025 · Overall, 35 per cent of vacancies in Wales were skill shortage vacancies. 46. Figures on vacancies and skill shortage vacancies showed ...
[70]
[PDF] Employer Skills Survey 2022: Wales report
Feb 22, 2024 · proportion of skills gaps attributed, in part, to staff lacking the ability to manage their own time and prioritise tasks (58 per cent of ...
[71]
[PDF] Review of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Economic Regeneration Strategy
The business birth rate in Rhondda Cynon Taf has risen since 2001. The business birth-rate in Rhondda Cynon Taf now exceeds both Wales and. United Kingdom ...
[72]
The work to regenerate Porth town centre | Wales Online
Nov 15, 2022 · The Porth Town Centre Regeneration Strategy was approved by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's cabinet in January, 2019, and a number of projects ...Missing: initiatives 2000
[73]
Local Democracy Portal Wales – Shaping our nation
A total of 75 councillors are elected to represent the people of Rhondda Cynon Taf. It is a Labour held Council and Councillor Andrew Morgan is the leader.<|separator|>
[74]
Presiding Officer - Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Councillor Ros Davis (Porth Ward) has been re-appointed Presiding Officer of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council for the 2025-2026 Municipal Year.Missing: structure | Show results with:structure
[75]
How the Council Works | Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
How the Council Works. RCT Council is comprised of 75 Elected Members / Councillors who set the overall policies and budget for the Council as outlined below.Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[76]
[PDF] rhondda cynon taf county borough council
Nov 20, 2024 · o The following scheme is where funding has been brought forward from future years into 2024/25: £0.5M Disabled Facilities Grants to align the ...
[77]
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Tax Bands & Rates
Band, 2024/25, 2025/26, Δ Rate. A-, £1,157, £1,217, 5.2%. A, £1,388, £1,460, 5.2%. B, £1,619, £1,703, 5.2%. C, £1,851, £1,947, 5.2%. D, £2,082, £2,190, 5.2%.
[78]
Valleys council facing a potential budget gap of £28m next year
Sep 22, 2025 · A Valleys council is currently facing a potential budget gap of £28m next year. An update to Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council cabinet on ...Missing: sources dependency
[79]
[PDF] Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council 2025/26 Budget ...
Jul 17, 2024 · In Rhondda Cynon Taf around 23,200 households benefit from the. CTR scheme, at a cost of £26.6M with approximately 19,600 receiving 100% Council ...
[80]
Election history for Rhondda and Ogmore (Constituency)
Rhondda and Ogmore is a constituency in Wales. The seat has been held by Chris Bryant (Labour) since July 2024.
[81]
Rhondda and Ogmore - General election results 2024 - BBC News
Labour, Chris Bryant. votes 17,118; share 47.8% · Reform UK, Darren James. votes 9,328; share 26.1% · Plaid Cymru, Owen Cutler. votes 5,198; share 14.5% ...
[82]
The full Senedd result for Rhondda as Leanne Wood loses seat
May 8, 2021 · Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood won the seat in 2016 but lost it convincingly to Labour's Buffy Williams at this election.
[83]
Election results for Rhondda, 6 May 2021 - Senedd Business
May 6, 2021 · How the results are displayed. Constituency Results - Candidates are displayed according to their share of the vote.
[84]
Autonomy and Party Dominance: Explaining Labour's Century of ...
May 26, 2025 · In 1922, the Labour Party won a plurality of Welsh seats in the United Kingdom Parliamentary elections. Since this time, the UK and Wales ...
[85]
https://ukandeu.ac.uk/welsh-labour-and-the-travails-of-single-party-dominance/
[86]
Welsh Labour and the travails of single-party dominance
Jul 25, 2024 · Jac Larner unpacks the general election result in Wales, suggesting that there are cracks in Welsh Labour's foundations despite the party's surface level ...
[87]
Labour makes big gains in Wales defeating ex-Plaid Cymru leader
May 7, 2021 · The party exceeded even its own expectations in Wales, holding on to key Senedd seats the Tories had targeted and defeating one of the most well known figures ...<|separator|>
[88]
Review: Pub Life by Peter Roberts - Nation.Cymru
May 9, 2023 · 'Pub Life: Rhondda Valleys Life through Pubs and Clubs, Past and Present' by Peter Roberts is published by Y Lolfa. It is available from all ...Missing: traditions | Show results with:traditions
[89]
Mission accomplished - Amgueddfa Cymru
Jun 19, 2012 · After 69 days underground and a massive rescue operation, which involved NASA and more than a dozen international corporations, all 33 men were rescued over a ...Missing: facts inquiry details
[90]
Bread and Heaven: A Family Chronicle From the Rhondda Valley ...
Jul 29, 2016 · The many cultural references to Chapel, the close knit mining community life, strong willed women, Welsh language and delicacies, and the quest ...
[91]
Porth - News, views, pictures, video - Wales Online
Oct 11, 2025 · Man killed in Porth crash was an 'incredible' father with 'unwavering love' for his family. Porth. Bookmark. Teenager will grow up with only one foot because ...
[92]
Porth Harlequins Rfc - Facebook
Porth Harlequins Rfc. 3078 likes · 235 talking about this. Division 2 Rugby Team located in the Rhondda Valleys.
[93]
Porth Harlequins RFC - Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community
Club · Fixtures & Results · Women and Girl's Rugby · Club · Super Rygbi Cymru · Admiral Premiership · Admiral National Championship · Admiral National ...
[94]
Last round for boxing club? - Wales Online
Mar 29, 2013 · A BOXING club is under threat because of a delay in re-opening its home at Penrhys Community Centre, Rhondda, its trainer has claimed.
[95]
Boxing club which provides vital support to youths given notice to ...
Mar 3, 2023 · A boxing club which has become a vital asset for a community has had notice that it will have to close with immediate effect.
[96]
Any proper boxing gyms around for complete novices? - Facebook
Aug 6, 2025 · Any proper boxing gyms around for complete novices? Discussion about finding a proper boxing gym for complete novices in Pontypridd Town.Any proper boxing clubs around for complete novices? - FacebookAnother 2 AMAZING classes at Porth Harlequins Rfc! 29 clubbers ...More results from www.facebook.comMissing: clubs | Show results with:clubs
[97]
Walking routes - Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
A wide range of walking trails and paths to suit all ages and abilities. There are low level family walks and high level hiking trails, and plenty in between.Missing: parks | Show results with:parks
[98]
[PDF] @sportrct - Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Jun 12, 2024 · Recent School Sport Survey data identified that community sport participation rates in RCT were lower than the national average, and that.Missing: obesity | Show results with:obesity
[99]
[PDF] National Survey for Wales 2018-19: Sport and Active Lifestyles
32% of adults (16+) participated in a sporting activity three times a week or more. (806,000 people). 8% participated approximately twice a week (203,000 ...
[100]
The Rescue That Gripped The Nation - by E.Jones - Cymru Uncovered
Apr 18, 2024 · In 1877, following the Tynewydd Colliery disaster in Hopkinstown near Pontypridd, the awarding of the Albert Medal was extended to cover saving ...
[101]
Heroes of Mine - Tynewydd 1877 - Google Sites
On 11 April 1877 the pressure of water collecting in the old workings of the Cymmer Colliery forced its way into the Tynewydd Colliery in the Rhondda Valley.Missing: Porth | Show results with:Porth
[102]
ABLETT, NOAH (1883 - 1935), miner and Trade Union leader
Born at Porth, Rhondda, 4 October 1883, son of John and Jane Ablett. As a miner, he went for a period to the Central Labour College; he then became a ...
[103]
Noah Ablett - AGOR
Noah Ablett 1883-1935. Red Line. Born Porth, Rhondda. Worked as a miner until he won a scholarship in 1907 to attend Ruskin College, Oxford.
[104]
Gwyn Thomas 1913-1981 - novelist, playwright, broadcaster ... - BBC
Jul 5, 2013 · Gwyn Thomas was born on 6 July 1913 in Cymmer near Porth in the Rhondda Valley. The son of a miner - "an underground ostler with no love of coal ...
[105]
Gwyn Thomas - Felix de Wolfe
Gwyn Thomas, who died in 1981, was born on 6th July 1913 in Cymmer near Porth in the Rhondda Valley, the son of a miner—'an underground ostler with no love of ...
[106]
Cymmer Primary School: Home
School Address. Cymmer Primary School,; High Street,; Cymmer,; Porth,; RCT,; CF39 9EY. Contact Details. admin@cymmerprimary.rctcbc.cymru · 01443 570020. Website ...
[107]
Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn - Educators wales
Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn is a Welsh-medium school in Porth. The school first opened its doors in 1951 to 19 children on the precarious hills of ...
[108]
Porth Community School | Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales
Porth Community School will be opening in September 2018. We are committed to providing outstanding learning and teaching in a caring, safe, ...About Us · Our School · Pupils · Parents
[109]
[PDF] Inspection report Porth Community School 2020 - Estyn
Jan 30, 2020 · Pupil attendance rates are low across the whole school and have deteriorated significantly over time despite numerous interventions. The number ...
[110]
[PDF] Monitoring report Porth Community School 2022 - Estyn
Many pupils have a good grasp of number and use the four operations appropriately. They apply their mathematical knowledge and skills suitably to convert.
[111]
GCSE results 2019: How every school in Rhondda Cynon Taf ...
Aug 23, 2019 · Overall GCSE performance in Rhondda Cynon Taf showed improvement, as 60% of learners achieved A*-C grades and 96.7% secured A*-G grades. The ...
[112]
Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)
Jun 27, 2024 · The NEET rate for people aged 19 to 24 in Wales was 14.5% in the year ending March 2024, down by 1.3 percentage points over the year. Over the ...
[113]
[PDF] Supporting and empowering RCT residents and communities to live ...
Sep 24, 2024 · Respond to increasing NEETs rates in. RCT post pandemic working with partners and available data to improve future NEETs rates. Deliver group ...
[114]
Vocational Training Courses | Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough ...
Vocational Training Courses · Emergency First Aid in the Workplace: Level 3 · Paediatric First Aid: Level 3 · Food Safety in Catering: Level 2 · Health and Safety: ...Missing: Porth Wales
[115]
Mining occupations in Welsh mines (late 1800s/earl7 1900s)
Jul 30, 2021 · Mining occupations in Welsh mines (late 1800s/earl7 1900s) · 1. Hewer · 2. Haulier · 3. Master Horse Driver (below ground) · 4. Colliery Horse ...
[116]
Major challenges for education in Wales | Institute for Fiscal Studies
Mar 21, 2024 · This report examines the major challenges for education in Wales, including low outcomes across a range of measures and high levels of inequality.
[117]
Porth Station | Train Times | Transport for Wales - TfW
There are no services at this station. Overview. Sitting on the Rhondda rail line, Porth station is the second station to serve the town of Porth. The first ...
[118]
Porth Station - National Rail
Discover Porth railway station. Getting to & from, buying & collecting train tickets, staffing, facilities, accessibility, & mobility access.<|separator|>
[119]
Porth Bus Interchange – Opening date - Transport For Wales News
Jan 27, 2025 · The Porth Bus Interchange will open on Thursday 30 January, allowing customers to explore the brand-new facility before Stagecoach begins operating bus ...
[120]
Rhondda Cynon Taf Bus Service Updates - Stagecoach
Stay up to date with any changes to timetables, service updates, fares and also let you know about any planned disruptions along your route.
[121]
£98M relief road opens in the Rhondda Valleys - LocalGov
Sep 7, 2007 · The 8km road will divert traffic from homes in the Porth area and includes 11 bridges such as the Rheola Bridge, and a 5km-long community route ...Missing: A4054 | Show results with:A4054
[122]
South East Wales | Morgan opens £98m Rhondda by-pass
Sep 3, 2007 · The £98m Porth relief road project in Rhondda has eased traffic problems in the area and it is hoped it will encourage business and investment.
[123]
Porth and Lower Rhondda Fach Relief Road - ChandlerKBS
The road comprises 8km of new and improved carriageway, a 90m span Bowstring Rheola bridge in Porth town centre, 10 bridges, 15 retaining walls and 16 culverted ...Missing: A4054 opened 2007
[124]
[PDF] On the Move: Car, rail and bus travel trends in Wales
Rhondda Cynon Taf (3%,6%,62% / 4%,4%,68%). Wrexham (0%,6%,63% / 1%,5%,66 ... Figures 4.4 to 4.6 look at commuting distances for car/van drivers, bus.