Concern over queues at Ely level crossing

A survey of traffic congestion at Ely Railway Station has found motorists faced long queues during peak times.

The research for East Cambridgeshire District Council found traffic queues of more than 100m (328ft) at its busiest times.

It found barriers were down for an average of 35 minutes in every hour on a weekday, 29 minutes in the hour on Saturdays and 18 minutes on Sundays.

The study was carried out to help the council's negotiations with rail firms.

Tackle congestion

Peter Moakes, chairman of the council's strategic development committee, said: "The research which we commissioned last year has given us a clear indication of the pressures caused by the barriers being down at the railway crossing in Ely.

"It is astonishing to see that queues on a weekday can stretch up to 100 metres not just once but up to three times over the course of a day.

"The challenge for us is to use this information as we plan for future growth."

The report says these delays are predicted to increase with rail freight expected to grow with the upgrade of the Felixstowe to Peterborough line and increased capacity on the Ipswich to Ely to Peterborough route.

The research has concluded that the estimated worst case scenario of the barriers being closed up to 50 minutes in the hour by 2030 is possible.

Work is currently underway to look at both short and long term solutions to tackle congestion now and in the future, the council said.