After 23 years of hard labour and £1.4 billion spent, a suitably wet, grim day greeted the official opening of the Heads of the Valleys Road.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates and former first minister and current Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford braved the valleys weather to unveil a plaque to mark the occasion.

The ceremony took place next to the final section of the A465 to be finished, which runs from Dowlais to Hirwaun.

Given the huge cost, timescale and disruption, it was no surprise that Mr Skates said the end was a "massive relief".

Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford and Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates were in attendance (Image: NQ) During the unveiling the Cabinet Secretary for Transport said: “It’s been an incredible endeavour, it’s one of the most important roads in Wales and in all of the United Kingdom.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates next to the commemorative plaque marking the road opening (Image: NQ) Speaking to the Argus, he added: “To reach the end of a project like this is a massive relief.

“During that time, we’ve seen war, we’ve seen Brexit,........

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