A new report is calling for four in every five traffic lights to be scrapped to boost the economy – would you be in favour of this?

The Institute of Economic Affairs puts the cost of delays caused by traffic controls at £16 billion a year.

It is calling for a rethink and says the UK could afford to remove around 80 per cent of traffic lights.

The think-tank report says: "Traffic signals could be taken out where they cause unnecessary delays, perhaps following Portishead-style trials where lights are switched off for several weeks to observe the impact.

"Successful schemes in Drachten in the Netherlands (in 2002) and Bohmte in Germany (in 2007) scrapped over 80 per cent of their traffic lights. Together with the Portishead experiment, this suggests a broadly similar proportion of signals could be removed in the UK."

The authors, who also suggest many bus lanes, cycle lanes, speed cameras and parking restrictions should also go, state there is a "strong economic case for replacing standard traffic regulation with strategies that harness voluntary cooperation among road-users".

They say: "A high proportion of traffic lights should be replaced by filter-in-turn or all-way give-ways.”

From 2000 to 2014 the number of traffic lights on Britain's roads increased by 25 per cent, the report claims.

Responding to the report, the Department for Transport said the "safety of Britain's roads is absolutely paramount".

It added: "Road accidents come with a human cost which unfortunately, as families across the country know, is far too high.

"Local councils are responsible for managing their networks in such a way as to balance the needs of all users. We provide guidance on designing and implementing measures but it is up to the authorities to decide how best to implement them."

Do you think traffic lights are more of a hindrance than a help, and could we get away with having fewer? What other changes that could make journeys easier would you like to see? Vote in our poll and add your comments below.