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Traffic was brought to a standstill on Saturday as campaigners blocked roads in protest at changes to Archway gyratory.

Work on replacing the unpopular 1970s road system began last week but residents and parents fear the changes will bring a rise in pollution, extra road dangers and more traffic forced down side streets.

Around 100 people with signs and banners marched back and forward between the crossings at the bottom of Archway Road – to the annoyance of some drivers.

Parents at Archway Children’s Centre want Transport for London to scrap a ban on turning right from St John’s Way into Archway Road as they say it will increase traffic and pollution in Vorley Road.

Protest organiser Kiat Phua said: “I am pursuing this because I know there is an alternative. It matters because children’s lives and health are at stake. Is shaving seven seconds off a commute worth the long-term damage to their health?”

Campaigners are angry about the plan to block up the underpass running under Archway Road, where 50 buses an hour would turn under the proposals.

Better Archway Forum has called on TfL to ditch 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 – an idea TfL is considering.

Nearby resident Chris Bailey, a town planner, said: “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.”

Joint owners of the Charlotte Despard pub, Chris Sparks and Amber Knight, say the move will hit their independent business as loading bays are being removed.

TfL says it has run extensive public consultations and made changes where necessary – and is still consulting on bus service alterations in Archway. The scheme is set to be completed in summer 2017.