All villages in the area grew as a result of the coal mining industry, which carries its legacy on today.

[3] On 1 April 1996 the Rhymney Valley District was itself abolished, and the community has been part of the county borough of Caerphilly since that date.

At the 2001 census Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen had a population of 10,428 The urban district council began operating a bus service in 1922.

The UDC was one of the smallest municipal bus undertakings in the United Kingdom, with an average fleet size of seven vehicles.

The fleet was merged with those of Caerphilly and Gelligaer UDCs in 1974, when Rhymney Valley District Council was formed.