THREAD: Why the Valleys Deserve Better

This is Penallta Colliery in Cwm Rhymni. It was built between 1906 - 1909 by the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company, which was once the largest coal mining company in Wales.

At its zenith, over 3,200 men worked here, producing almost a million tonnes of coal a year.

In 1991, after operating for more than 80 years, Penallta Colliery closed its doors for the very last time. For three decades it has been left to decay.

Many of the magnificent redbrick buildings are now little more than ruins, despite their historical and architectural significance; their dilapidated interiors only dimly suggestive of their former grandeur.

The pit’s Power House, which once roared with the sound of engines, today lies in deafening silence.

The deterioration of Penallta Colliery mirrors the decline of the former mining communities themselves. Forgotten and neglected.

Despite the wealth created here, very little found its way to the miners & their families. The closure of mines such as Penallta has left a legacy of deprivation & poverty. 6/10 of the most deprived areas in Wales can be found in The Valleys— ~1/3 of the children live in poverty

In recent years, some policy-makers have suggested that the future of the Valleys is for them to become little more than commuter settlements for Caerdydd. Others have even argued that the former mining communities at the heads of the Valleys should be remodelled as rural towns.

But these communities deserve so much more than ill-conceived & insensitive proposals. Quick-fixes and gimmicks, no doubt involving the creation of a zip-wire park or race track, are no substitute for considered and comprehensive policies which seek to tackle the endemic poverty.

As one of the powerhouses of the Industrial Revolution, the Valleys played a significant role in creating the world as we know it today. We owe so much to these communities, it’s about time we repaid our debt.