A road project which aims to cut congestion in a North-East town is to go ahead thanks to lobbying by the town's MP.

The Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor (DETC) has received more than £12m from the Government after lengthy delays to the project.

The 1.8-mile project, which will link Haughton Road with the A66, has been delayed for several years.

During that time, it has been criticised as costs soared from £5.7m to more than £12m.

However, as planning permission has already been granted, construction could begin as soon as this autumn.

The Government has pledged £12.04m in funding to the scheme, and Darlington Borough Council will contribute a further £460,000.

Darlington MP Alan Milburn lobbied ministers extensively to release funding.

He said: "It's very, very important for the future of Darlington, it's going to be a massive benefit.

"Darlington's waited a long time for this and it's great news for the town.

"The DETC is the most important highways scheme the town has seen since the A66 bypass was built in the mid-1980s. It will be crucial to efforts to cut congestion on main routes and brings enormous potential for further economic growth in the area."

The single-carriageway road will stretch from Haughton Road, along the route of the old Stockton- Darlington track bed, to a new junction with the A66.

The stretch of the A66 from the DETC link to the Great Burdon roundabout will also be improved to give more width at the junctions.

The project aims to cut congestion on Haughton Road, Yarm Road and McMullen Road, and provide an access route to the Lingfield Point business park, and the £170m Central Park.

A cycleway, bridleway and footpath will run along the same route. The cycleway will continue to Middleton St George and link into the national cycle network.

The council will appoint contractors and, if the cost is right, it will be approved by the Department for Transport, with the project likely to be completed by Spring 2008.

Nick Wallis, Darlington council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "This is going to have a really significant impact on congestion in the town and also, in the industrial areas, it will have enormous benefit for jobs particularly.

"The cycle path is particularly important as people will be able to cycle from the town centre to Middleton St George.

"We still have a few more T's to cross, but we're going to work very hard to ensure that we can get going soon."