WORK on a £10 million scheme to ease severe congestion and traffic chaos in a Suffolk town could start within weeks, it has been revealed.

WORK on a £10 million scheme to ease severe congestion and traffic chaos in a Suffolk town could start within weeks, it has been revealed.

The B1115 Stowmarket Relief Road work is due to start on June 23 and will take approximately 18 months to complete.

Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council's portfolio holder for roads and transport, said: “This is great news for residents in Stowmarket. If all goes to plan, we should be able to open it at the end 2009.”

The town's mayor Anne Whybrow, added: “Finally the dream is to become reality, this is such a boost for the regeneration of Stowmarket and the economy of our splendid market town.

“The relief road will open up the gateway to the town for residents in Cedars Park and the surrounding villages and it will rid us of the traffic chaos at the level crossing.”

The relief road will run between the B1115 Stowupland Road and the A1308 Gipping Way, passing through the Cedars Park development, Creeting Road, over the railway and River Gipping connecting to Gipping Way.

The project will include building three new bridges - two over the River Gipping and one over the main London to Norwich railway line - together with a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the river and new junctions with Gipping Way and Creeting Road.

The completion of the relief road will improve access between the large new Cedars Park estate and the town centre, provide additional parking at the railway station and will reduce congestion and delays at the Stowupland Road level crossing.

Suffolk County Council has awarded the construction contract to Birse Civils Ltd.