A465 road
A465 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by English local authorities and South Wales Trunk Road Agency | ||||
| Length | 66 mi (106 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end | Llandarcy 51°38′57″N 3°50′55″W / 51.6492°N 3.8486°W | |||
| M4 Junction 43 A48 A474 A4230 A4109 A4061 A4059 A470 A4054 A4060 A469 A4048 A4046 A4047 A467 A4077 A4143 A4042 A40 A49 | ||||
| East end | Bromyard, Herefordshire 52°11′13″N 2°30′50″W / 52.1870°N 2.5139°W | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United Kingdom | |||
| Primary destinations | Neath Merthyr Tydfil Abergavenny Hereford | |||
| Road network | ||||
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The A465 is a trunk road that runs from Bromyard in Herefordshire, England to Llandarcy near Swansea in south Wales. The section from Abergavenny to the Vale of Neath is commonly referred to as the Heads of the Valleys Road because it links the heads of the South Wales Valleys. The western half in Wales is officially known as the Neath to Abergavenny Trunk Road. The Heads of the Valleys Road from Abergavenny to Merthyr Tydfil was built in 1812. A 23-year long major upgrade programme converted the road into a dual carriageway in each direction and was finally completed on 31 May 2025.
Approximately following the southern boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Ordnance Survey Pathfinder guide describes it as the unofficial border between rural and industrial South Wales. The A465 provides an alternative route between England and the counties in South West Wales and to the ferries to Ireland.