Neighbours turned out in force last night to oppose plans for a cycling scheme in Walthamstow Village.

More than 100 people attended a meeting at the Asian Centre in Orford Road, the majority of them voicing concerns about the council’s so-called ‘mini Holland’ scheme.

The council won £30million from Transport for London to improve roads for those travelling by bike or on foot last year.

But a trial which took place in October split opinions in Walthamstow as roads were re-organised, with some being made one-way and others being completely blocked off to traffic.

Justan Emmanuel, owner of Costcutter in Grove Road, said he experienced a 50 per cent loss in trade during the trial.

He said: “I need that traffic, people stopping off on their way home, it is everything to my business. We won’t survive if this if this goes ahead, it will finish me.”

Neighbours also raised concerns about the scheme’s possible impact on access for the emergency services.

Paul Shackleton, an architect who lives in Orford Road, has drawn up an alternative map to what he calls the council's proposed 'New Berlin Wall'.

It operates a one way system that he claims will be "safer" and will prevent road closures.

However he said the council had so far "refused to listen to any alternatives".

At the meeting, neighbours elected a group to represent their concerns and others promised to leaflet the 9,000 or so people in the affected area.

The meeting ended with applause as another speaker demanded an extension to the public consultation period which is due to end tomorrow, with implementation of the plans due to begin in January.