Ely bypass plans submitted to Cambridgeshire planners
Plans for a £30m bypass around a Cambridgeshire city have been submitted to the county council.
The one-mile (1.7km) road south of Ely will look to solve bottlenecks caused by the level crossing at the train station.
But the Campaign to Protect Rural England and English Heritage have criticised the plans, saying views of the cathedral will be harmed.
The scheme will be considered by the planning committee this winter.
If given the go-ahead, it could open in 2015.
The A142-A10 link will be paid for by the county council along with contributions from East Cambridgeshire District Council, Network Rail and other bodies.
Five options were initially considered by the council, including an underpass, two separate bypasses and a traffic stacking system.
A recent survey found the level crossing is closed for up to 35 minutes every hour, with congestion likely to increase as more trains pass through Ely following rail improvements.