Residents on an estate in east London have called on their local authority to take action against the number of learner drivers using the estate for driving practice.

A recent survey recorded 409 learner drivers using the South Woodford area in one 12-hour period.

The town became a test centre nine years ago and the problem has become worse with more than 100 car accidents since 2001 with parked cars, garden walls and lampposts all having been hit by inexperienced drivers. Several local people have also suffered minor injuries in collisions.

Residents of one particularly badly affected road, The Drive, had planned to put up an “access only” sign to deter driving schools from using the road but Redbridge Council have said it would not be practical to erect such a sign as it would be difficult to enforce.

A spokesman for the council said: “The council is sympathetic to the concerns of residents of this estate but there is no easy solution as these cars have the same rights to use these public highways as any other motorist. The roads are quiet and close to the driving centre, which makes them attractive to the local driving schools. The council will continue to seek the cooperation of local driving schools in reducing their use of these roads.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7884239/Learner-drivers-cause-L-on-residential-roads.html