The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones has officially opened the £90 million Church Village Bypass in Wales.

Mr Jones was joined on site by members of the lead authority, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, as well as the contractor Costain who have co-operated in a close and highly effective partnership to deliver this major project.

He said: "I'm delighted to see this road fully open to users and it is testament to the hard work of the local authority and the contractors that it has been completed on time and on budget.

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"As well as the economic, environmental and social benefits the new road will bring by allowing traffic to travel more efficiently along this crucial route, this project has provided a valuable boost to the local economy in difficult times."

The new road will provide a bypass for the settlements of Tonteg, Church Village, Llantwit Fardre and Efail Isaf, along the severely congested A473 route in that area. The scheme will also remove traffic from immediately outside the residential and commercial properties that front the route.

Construction started in January 2009 and the building work has employed approximately 4,000 people and is estimated to have brought in £27m for the local economy.

The bypass is helping to create a more prosperous society through economic regeneration in the area. More than 90% of the sub-contracts have been awarded to local companies based in south Wales and 50 local unemployed people were recruited to work on the project.

(CD)