Plaid Cymru’s Members of the Senedd for Pontypridd, Cynon and Merthyr have used the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster to press the UK Government for urgent funding to make coal tips safe across Wales. The representatives say the legacy of mining continues to pose a real risk to communities today and that meaningful action must follow remembrance.
Anniversary prompts renewed calls for action
On 21 October 1966 an avalanche of coal waste and slurry descended the mountain above Aberfan, overwhelming Pantglas Junior School and nearby houses. The tragedy took the lives of 116 children and 28 adults, and is remembered as one of the darkest days in Wales’s recent history.
While Aberfan was unique in its scale and consequences, the threat from unstable disused spoil tips has persisted. There are almost 2,500 disused coal tips in Wales, and concerns about their safety have been revived by recent incidents in places including Tylorstown and Cwmtillery, where extreme weather and ground instability have highlighted continuing hazards.
In a joint statement, Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan MS, Lis McLean MS and Sara Crowley MS urged central government to provide funding so remediation work can prevent future tragedies. They highlighted estimates made in 2020 that suggested the cost of making tips safe in Wales would be about £600 million.
“Remembering Aberfan is not just about reflecting on the past. Alongside our words of remembrance, we must see meaningful action to ensure communities are protected.”
That comment, from Heledd Fychan MS, was echoed by Sara Crowley MS, who said communities across Pontypridd, Cynon and Merthyr should not have to live in fear of a similar disaster. Lis McLean MS also reiterated the need for priority to be given to coal tip safety so that the lessons of Aberfan lead to sustained prevention work.
- 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster falls on 21 October 2026.
- Historic human toll: 116 children and 28 adults died in 1966.
- Almost 2,500 disused coal tips remain across Wales.
- Estimated remediation cost (2020): £600 million.
Local residents and elected officials have long campaigned for investment to address the consequences of previous industrial activity. Plaid’s Senedd members say the risks pre-date devolution and therefore require commitment from the UK Government to ensure sustained, adequately funded programmes to assess and stabilise spoil heaps.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Deaths in Aberfan (1966) | 144 (116 children, 28 adults) |
| Disused coal tips in Wales | ~2,500 |
| Estimated remediation cost (2020) | £600m |
For communities in Pontypridd and the surrounding valleys, the issue is not only historical but practical. Local councillors and residents have highlighted occasions when heavy rain and shifting ground have caused concern, prompting emergency responses and temporary restrictions. Plaid Cymru’s statement notes that incidents in recent years underline the continuing vulnerability caused by former mining operations.
As remembrance activities mark the 60th anniversary across south Wales, the call from local Senedd members is for remembrance to be accompanied by a clear plan and funding commitment. They say this is necessary to provide reassurance to families and neighbourhoods living near old spoil tips and to reduce the likelihood of further loss resulting from longstanding industrial legacies.
Without confirmation of additional central funding, local representatives warn that communities must continue to rely on piecemeal measures rather than a co‑ordinated, well‑resourced national programme. The plea to the UK Government is for a named funding stream dedicated to assessing, stabilising and where necessary removing hazardous tips, so that the lessons of Aberfan lead to practical protection for future generations.
