Nick Clarke

At our recent Cabinet we approved a bypass for Ely to unblock the jams at the rail crossing. Currently there is an underpass for cars and a crossing for HGVs. The problem is that as the HGVs back up, waiting for trains to go pass, they then block the underpass so cars are held up as well. This is happening for over 30 mins in every hour. The rail line is being upgraded so the
problem is going to increase.

Delays are also caused by vehicles driving into the underpass structure. During a significant consultation with local people from Ely over 80% chose a new bypass, option B. Around 4% wanted the underpass improving. Add to that issues of the flood plain, vehicles hitting the underpass and the fact that it will limit the expansion of Ely option B seemed obvious.

Now I find, the Liberal Democrat Councillor Nigel Bell has taken it upon himself to call in the decision along with a couple of other wreckers. He wants a better underpass which only 4% of the people want. This means all progress will stop on this vital improvement for Ely and the county until scrutiny has gone over it all again.

If over 80% of local people want option B I would have thought the democratic part of Liberal Democrat might have helped him. I suspect some opposition members think they have to oppose everything even if it obviously the right thing. Meanwhile the people of Cambridgeshire suffer.