Meridiam, Development Bank of Wales and FCC Concesiones commissioned the final 18-km section of the A465 road between Abergavenny and Hirwaun, in South Wales, UK.

The GBP 1.4 billion (US$ 1.9 billion) Section 5&6 – Dowlais to Hirwaun final phase is helping to connect communities by linking the Valleys, South and West Wales to the English Midlands and beyond, together with ports serving Irish and other European destinations. As well as improving the resilience of the South Wales trunk road network, the road provides a vital link across the top of the South Wales valleys for the Metro project, improving links to the Cardiff and Swansea Bay City Regions. This has been achieved by delivering:

• 17.7 km of new dual carriageway;
• 6 km of new sideroads;
• More than 14 km of active travel routes; and
• 38 culverts (a structure that channels water past an obstacle), 32 new bridges and 28 new retaining walls. 

Developed by the Future Valleys consortium, in partnership with Meridiam, the Development Bank of Wales, and FCC Concesiones, the project aims to improve road safety, reduce congestion and travel times, and strengthen transport links between South and West Wales and the English Midlands. It also incorporates significant environmental measures—such as planting 120,000 trees, wildlife crossings, and protected habitats—and has generated over 2,000 local jobs, contributing more than £400 million to the regional economy.