What are the issues?

The A142 through Ely carries 15,000 vehicles per day including 1,200 lorries which are unable to use the underpass at the station and instead have to use the level crossing. The level crossing is currently closed around for around 35 minutes per hour and lorries queuing for the level crossing block access to the underpass for other vehicles. Morning rush hour queues reach a length of 380m southbound and 1.1km northbound resulting in significant delays. In addition to the existing problems Network Rail are proposing to upgrade the freight line from Felixstowe to Nuneaton which would mean another 18 trains per day travelling through Ely by 2014. These additional trains will mean that the level crossing is likely to be closed for around 40 minutes per hour from 2014 meaning that the traffic problems around the level crossing will get even worse. 

What is being done?

Both Cambridgeshire County Council and East Cambridgeshire District County agree that something needs to be done to sort out the traffic problems caused by the level crossing at Ely Station and have been meeting with Jim over the last few months to develop a realistic scheme for doing this. On the 9 July 2011 a public seminar was hosted by Ely City Council which showcased various options to solve the problems and a public consultation took place in October and November 2011. 1700 consultation responses were received with 81% of respondents being in favour of a bypass following ‘Route B’ as detailed below:

Route B: A new road would be built to the south of the current A142 and Ely station area. This includes a new roundabout on the A142 Angel Drove and a 500 metres long viaduct over the River Great Ouse, the flood plains and the rail lines and a new junction on the A142 Stuntney Causeway around 300 metres south of the Queen Adelaide junction. 

Whilst there will be some visual impact it will primarily affect the small proportion of people walking along the riverbank rather than those approaching by road.

Where will the money come from?

Route B will cost in the region of £28m. Funding will not all come from one source and will be sought from a number of different sources including Central Government, Network Rail, The EU, developers, the Community Infrastructure Levy and the Local Enterprise Partnership.   

What happens next?

The County Council are examining all the options and in summer 2012 there will be a further consultation with the public before a final decision is approved by the Council. Once a planning application is submitted there will need to be a Public Inquiry which it is hoped can take place in spring 2013. We hope to keep constituents fully updated on progress via this page.

What can I do?

Show your support for the proposed bypass by signing the petition here.