Visit a vision of the future for Ely and see how the city will look when the bypass is open next year

Ely Bypass. Rail bridge visualisation from south. (Image: Archant)

People are invited to drop in to the cathedral conference centre to find out more about the plans and see artists’ impressions of how the bypass will look when it is opened in Spring 2018.

In an exhibition from 1pm to 7pm people can view the plans and learn more about the environmental impact and the outline timescale.

Officers will be available to answer questions and refreshments available.

Work is set to start on the £36 million Ely Southern Bypass, designed to alleviate a congestion blighted area of Ely, which currently gridlocks the city.

Contractors have been commissioned by Cambridgeshire County Council who it is hoped will have the road open to traffic by Spring 2018.

The Department for Transport has given the plans its financial backing – writing to say that £16 million of the Growth Deal money they awarded to the LEP can be used for the scheme following the detailed business case.

Currently long tail backs are seen in the area near the station as heavy goods vehicles are forced to use a level crossing which is due to be closed more often due to rail improvements.

The new route will bypass the railway level crossing and underpass by providing a new link between Stuntney Causeway and Angel Drove to the south of the city.

The County Council have been working closely with contractor VolkerFiztpatrick since August when the design contract was awarded to them. They have now been commissioned to start work on delivering the scheme in January, weather dependent.

Work since August has included finalising engineering designs, site investigations and using this information to refine the cost of the scheme.

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