Split over one-way

Feelings are set to reach fever pitch at Monday's extraordinary area committee one meeting, in the latest saga over what traffic calming measure should be in place.

Residents who are in favour of the scheme and have hit out at the council for proposing to abandon it after only two weeks, say they are taking legal advice.

Kate Hayes, of Langley Drive said they want to find out if the council is within the law to do this.

Mrs Hayes said: "We're not suing anyone, but we would like to know if they can put this measure in place and then suddenly take it away, without giving it a chance to see if it works."

Other residents who live in parts of Overton Drive, Langley Drive and Redbridge Lane West, have also claimed that the roads are much quieter with the gate in place.

Mrs Hayes added: "This has gone on for 10 years or so now. All we want is a quieter and less polluted road, which is what we're getting now. I think it would be ludicrous to take the gate away when it has only been there for two weeks."

But other residents say the scheme put in place is increasing their journey times and that many drivers are flouting the law, by driving up the road the wrong way.

Overton Drive resident Sandra Davidson told councillors at a meeting earlier this month that: "People are trying to create a village atmosphere in a town."

She said: "This is the 21st century, traffic is increasing and we live in a London suburb. What right do people have to destroy other people's lives?

The majority of the councillors on the committee did call for the scheme to be abandoned at the last meeting, but could not make a decision legally, because the issue was not on the agenda.

With the arguments still rumbling, the decision to hold an extraordinary meeting of the committee on Monday was made so it can be discussed further and a solution found.

The meeting will be held in the Alan Hearn Hall, Wanstead Leisure Centre, Redbridge Lane West, from 7pm.

May 29, 2003 13:00