A proposed ban on u-turns at a busy junction has been scrapped following mass objection.  

Councillors sitting on the neighbourhoods committee ruled out the enforcement of a Traffic Management Order (TMO) at the junction in Clayhall Avenue on Wednesday evening. 

The TMO was initially agreed at a cabinet meeting in July, but after a high number of objections during the public consultation, highways officers recommended that the enforcement dies not go ahead. 

Cabinet member for environment, Cllr Baldesh Nijjar, said the council would not be justified in introducing a ban as there had been no reports of any personal injury accidents caused by the u-turn in the last five years. 

Of the 91 people who responded, 86 were objections were from those arguing it will increase journey times and traffic congestion on alternative routes. 

Liberal Democrat Roding ward councillor, Ian Bond, said: "It is excellent news for local residents who were threatened by the proposed ban, and I am pleased that common sense has at last won through. 

"For the past few years the council has wasted time and money pursuing this ban despite the complete absence of any related accident record and negligible public pressure for it. 

"The whole episode seems to have been a personal obsession driven by one of two conservative councillors and it is a relief that it is now over."

Discussions with Transport for London to introduce a roundabout or allowing a right-turn into Roding Lane South are still ongoing. 

In 2011, fines worth £60,000 were dropped and penalties costing £10,000 refunded during an unexpected CCTV clampdown on u-turns at the junction.