Proposed measures to enforce a ban on u-turns at a popular junction look set to be scrapped following a public consultation. 

Redbridge Council is doing a u-turn of its own after the enforcement of a Traffic Management Order (TMO) at the junction in Clayhall Avenue was agreed at a cabinet meeting in July. 

But after an 'unusually high number' of objections to the proposed ban during a public consultation, Highways officers are recommending councillors not go ahead with the plans at the neighbourhoods and communities committee on December 3. 

A total of 86 of the 91 people who responded to the consultation objected arguing it will increase journey times and traffic congestion on alternative routes. 

For years, Clayhall ward councillors agued the manoeuvre should be banned over safety fears but there has not been any reported personal injury accidents caused by the  u-turn in the last five years. 

A petition against the ban by Liberal Democrat councillors Ian Bond and Gwyneth Deakins gathered over 360 signatures at the beginning of this year.

If banned, people living in Hill Farm Estate would not be able to turn right out of their properties, and would instead have to drive an extra three miles to access Charlie Brown’s roundabout via Southend Road.

Cllr Deakins said: "It is a victory for common sense and the residents supported by myself and Ian Bond. 

"The council should have taken note in early 2014 when hundreds opposed the ban. 

"Clayhall councillors pushed for the ban but put forward no evidence of it being a safety risk or that they had real support from residents.”

"We are not in the clear yet, it still needs to go to cabinet."

Cabinet member for environment, Cllr Baldesh Nijjar, said: "The recommendations in the report show that we have taken the opinions of our local residents seriously.

"Residents have overwhelmingly told us that introducing a u-turn ban at the junction would cause a number of problems for them and as there are no reported personal injury accidents which have been caused in  the last five years and we don’t believe we can justify introducing a ban."

In 2011, fines worth £60,000 were dropped and penalties costing £10,000 refunded during an unexpected CCTV clampdown on the manoeuvre.