Transport bosses say they will lift Olympic Games traffic restrictions on the Green Man roundabout at some busy times following complaints about major delays.

The temporary closure of the A12 slip-road at the Green Man roundabout, on the border between Leytonstone and Wanstead, caused traffic chaos when it was introduced on Wednesday (July 25).

But the restrictions, designed to complement a VIP-only lane on the A12, were then suddenly lifted during part of the following morning (Thursday July 26).

When quizzed by the Guardian, Transport for London (TfL) denied abandoning the decision to part-close the roundabout but said they were going to operate it on a "flexible" basis in the coming weeks.

In contrast, the A12 itself has largely escaped any major disruption despite the Games lane, although there has been congestion during rush-hour.

A TfL spokesman said a decision on when to lift the restrictions would be made without prior warning depending on traffic conditions in the surrounding area.

He said: “The closure of the A12 entry-slip road was instigated to reduce long queues of traffic back into the Green Man tunnel.

"We have put a restriction in place between 6am-11am but will remain flexible with the implementation of this by opening up the road as and when local traffic conditions dictate.

"We will continue to monitor the impact of this road change to ensure that we keep London moving."

Wednesday's closure caused knock-on traffic jams on several key routes in the surrounding area, including Leytonstone High Road, Whipps Cross Road and New Wanstead for much of the morning.

The Guardian even photographed Olympics-branded vehicles at the roundabout being unable to get through the traffic jams.

Motorists dubbed the closure a "complete joke" and urged authorities to ditch 100 metres of the A12's Games lane in order to allow traffic off the roundabout.

Waltham Forest Council previously raised concerns about the impact of the closures on the borough's roads, warning it could cause "top scale" disruption.

The real test of the impact will be when the Games begin in earnest tomorrow (Saturday) and through next week.

The Olympic VIP-only lane on the A12 operates between 6am and midnight every day, while the Green Man roundabout closure is scheduled to operate between 6am and 11am.

The restrictions will be in place until August 14, and then be re-introduced during the Paralympic Games between August 27 and September 11.

Motorists and cyclists who go into the Games lanes without proper permission could be fined £130. Cyclists can use some kerbside Games lanes but not on roads such as the A12.

Transport bosses are urging residents in east London to visit www.getaheadofthegames.com for the latest on travel restrictions.

What are your experiences of travel during the Olympics? We want to hear from you. Contact reporter Daniel Binns on 0779 547 6625 or via email at dbinns@london.newsquest.co.uk

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