Neighbours want a stalled Mini Holland scheme to be finished to stop drivers using the streets as a “rat run”.

Scores of residents in Walthamstow staged a demonstration last week, urging the council to finish work on traffic filters in Northcote Road and Pretoria Avenue.

A consultation in July 2015 found the majority of people living in the area approved of the plans, before construction started in June.

However, work stalled in July with no explanation as to why road closures have not been completed.

Those living in the neighbourhood say they have grown frustrated with the delays as their roads are used as a rat run by drivers taking a shortcut between St James Street and Forest Road.

A council report in 2015 found around 2,000 cars per day passed St Michael’s Church in Northcote Road and 1,100 passed Stoneydown Park Primary School in Pretoria Avenue.

Resident, Dan Kelly, said: “They cannot just leave the traffic filters out because now everyone will be just be driving down those roads instead.

“The worst part about it is the school, it has a low rate of kids arriving in cars, but we still have a lot of traffic coming past because it is a rat run.

“There are a lot of people with young children in this area and everyone has started to think ‘is it safe to let them go to the shops?’

“I do not blame drivers for taking a shortcut, I blame the council for not doing anything about it.”

Mini Holland has proved controversial in many areas of the borough since the £27 million project was first announced in 2014.

The scheme has come under criticism over road closures, a perceived increase in emergency service response times and concern for businesses that rely on access to cars.

The official opening of the first phase of the project in Walthamstow Village was marred by a demonstration involving hundreds of protestors.

Further large demonstrations have also been staged outside Waltham Forest town hall.

Waltham Forest council has been contacted for comment.