Proposals to replace two mini roundabouts with traffic lights on the junction between Norwich Road and Chevallier Street in Ipswich could be scrapped, it has been revealed.

Work had been scheduled to start next week as part of the £21 million Travel Ipswich project. However due to technical issues with the design, planned Highways Agency work on the A14 that will divert traffic through the area, and local concern about the proposals, engineers have postponed the works until later in the year.

The extra time will give officials the opportunity to review the plans and decide what is best for the future of the junction.

Sarah Wright, of High View Road, Ipswich, launched an online petition against the plans, which was signed by 407 people, as she strongly felt the project was a waste of money.

On hearing the news of the postponement, the 34-year-old said: “I am beyond happy. Even though I started the petition, I did not think it would make that much of a difference.

“If nothing else, I hope it means there will be more consultation on it in the future.

“People felt very passionately that it is a lot of money for something that is not needed.”

Graham Newman, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads and transport, said: “Travel Ipswich is all about making it easier to travel around the town by all modes of transport, especially by cleaner and greener ones.

“The planned changes to this junction are part of that work however, we felt that for a number of reasons, the time was not right to proceed with these particular roadworks. We have therefore postponed them until further notice.

“Delaying this specific scheme will not have any significant impact on the overall Travel Ipswich project.”

The work had been due to take place between July 29 and August 30.

Since the installation of traffic lights on the junction of Civic Drive and Princes Street under the scheme, motorists have faced major delays, and those living in the Norwich Road area feared the same could happen.