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Regulars at an Archway pub named after a campaigner for votes for women hope to summon up her fighting spirit for a battle against transport chiefs.

Drinkers at Charlotte Despard – named after the Anglo-Irish suffragist who died in 1939 – are furious about plans to U-turn 50 buses an hour on the A1 and fill in an underpass under the busy road.

The proposals are part of Transport for London’s plan to replace the 1970s gyratory – but scores of people say the problems will simply be moved further up Archway Road.

A loose coalition of campaigners centred around the pub have joined together to campaign for a change to plans which they say will worsen pollution, endanger children crossing the road and force traffic down side streets.

Pub co-owners Amber Knight and Chris Sparks said the plans were a threat to the viability of their popular pub. As an independent pub, it takes 16 deliveries a week, but its loading bays are to be removed.

Mr Sparks told the Tribune it was a “dangerous proposal”.

“There are safety issues, environmental issues and this could put our pub out of business,” he said. “All of these concerns have been met with an ignorant, dismissive attitude.”

Mr Sparks said the pub and most residents in surrounding streets only became aware of the plans just before Christmas – and suggested TfL had leafleted in the wrong area.

“There are meant to be laws and transparency about these things,” he said. “We are not in Poland in 1939 – this is London 2016.”

Campaigners have criticised Islington Council for choosing to move the bus stand from Vorley Road, which has forced TfL to relocate it to Archway Road – right outside the pub.

Nearby resident Chris Bailey, a town planner, said: “This is an historic opportunity to put right the original failed gyratory scheme but this is just making it worse.

“Something being trailed as a massive advantage for Archway is just moving pollution to our area and potentially creating a massive new traffic snarl-up slightly higher up the A1 while pretending to solve the gyratory problems.”

Parents told the Tribune they would only let children cross the road via the underpass.

The Better Archway Forum has called on TfL to scrap the bus stand plan by running all terminating buses to points of demand, such as northbound to Whittington Hospital and southbound to Upper Holloway station.

Peter Bradley, TfL’s head of consultation, said: “We ran an extensive public consultation on the Archway gyratory proposals in 2014 and made some changes to the proposals where necessary.

“Our consultation on the proposed routings for bus services in the area is open until February 22 and I would urge anybody with concerns to respond.”

This consultation does not include questions about the location of the bus stands in Archway Road.

Islington Council transport chief Councillor Claudia Webbe said: “We intend to use the land in Vorley Road to build much-needed council hous­ing and community facilities. Due to its location, with Archway Children’s Centre immediately opposite, the site is not well-suited to its current use.”