People whose communities were divided by the North Circular road in the 1970s have welcomed radical plans to run the route through tunnels to reunite severed neighbourhoods.

The Mayor of London today unveiled an ambitious £30 billion vision to transform London’s roads over the next 20 years, including redirecting sections of the A406 through tunnels or roofing them over entirely.

People living in South Woodford, which was bisected by the North Circular more than 30 years ago, have welcomed the plans, but wonder if they are too expensive to implement in their area.

Brian Mazdon, chair of the Maybank Community Association, which was formed to keep a sense of community after the M11 was built and the A406 widened, said: “It would be excellent if they could tunnel it.

“We could have our community back again. It was like a great Berlin Wall at the end of Maybank Road when it went up. But it’s elevated and it would appear to me too expensive to reroute it.”

But the 76-year-old hopes some of the investment could be used to create safe crossing points around Charlie Brown’s Roundabout, which mothers and children are forced to use when the underpass frequently floods.

Pat Ilett, of Thornwood Close, called for some of the cash to reduce air pollution caused along the A406, a stretch of which that runs through Walthamstow was recently revealed to be the most polluted road in London.

The 71-year-old said: “We need plastic screening to shield houses from the pollution. Pollution causes cancer and heart trouble and it needs addressing. You can see little black bits on your washing when it’s out to dry, that’s how bad it is.”

Meanwhile the Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party have condemned the road investment at a time when they claim Mr Johnson must do more for cycle routes.

Spokeswoman Diana Korchien said: “We’re very concerned. The mayor’s making a very grand gesture which is completely at odds with any green agenda he purports to have.”

The Mayor of London’s Road Task Force is working on the blueprint, which imagines more people travelling during off-peak hours to cut rush hour congestion, with 1.7 million extra people predicted to live in the capital by 2031, resulting in 25 per cent more journeys per day.

A total of 19 road schemes are also outlined in the transport vision, supporting more than 300,000 jobs.

Streets could also be made greener, with 1,000 more trees planted along roads using more low-energy street lighting.