I refer to the article published on the Guardian’s website on November 22, pertaining to u-turns in Clayhall Avenue.

It may well be that this has been an established manoeuvre for the past 40 years, but times have changed.

The topography of the area has altered dramatically and there is now far more traffic on our congested roads than ever before – roads that were never designed to accommodate that amount of vehicular traffic.

It is not only Hill Farm residents who are causing a problem here.

It is also those who wish to access the industrial estates in Southend Road and Roding Lane South, plus the school there, from Charlie Brown’s roundabout.

Often these are heavy goods vehicles and cannot make the turn in one go, resulting in frequent damage to the kerbside safety railings and roadside furniture, as well as delaying other traffic and causing gridlock at peak times.

This has been a problem now for a number of years and it is quite right and proper that the council’s highways department should consider remedial actions that are within their own powers to introduce, even though some councillors may try to block it for political capital in the run-up to next year’s local elections.

Woodford Avenue, running into Southend Road, is controlled by Transport for London and the suggestion of a roundabout at that junction, while a sensible proposal, is frankly pie in the sky for the foreseeable future and probably beyond.

Some action needs to be taken in the meantime and if the u-turners do not wish to proceed through the width restriction and join the rear of the queue waiting to exit Clayhall Avenue, like everybody else, they can always use the pedestrian facilities to access the other side of Southend Road where there is an excellent bus service to South Woodford.

Arthur King, Badon Hall, Woodford Bridge.