Controversial proposals to install traffic lights at the top of Bishop’s Hill in Ipswich have been dropped after a storm of protest.

Drivers and local residents were up in arms after the new traffic lights were proposed as part of the £21 million Travel Ipswich project.

They feared the development would lead to increased congestion – and made their views known during a recent public consultation exercise.

Now the county has decided to drop the proposal – which was not in the initial Travel Ipswich project anyway.

Cabinet member for transport Graham Newman said: “In the case of Felixstowe Road and Nacton Road, we of course proposed these signals as a way of helping to manage traffic flow across the wider road network.

“Now we’ve had time to consider the responses, it’s very clear to us that there is no public appetite for changes to the Felixstowe Road and Nacton Road junction.

“We won’t therefore be going ahead with those proposals. We will however be monitoring the situation to see if leaving the junction as it is has a detrimental effect on traffic management.”

The news was welcomed by local councillor and former borough leader Liz Harsant who had been at the forefront of protests.

She said: “This is great news. It’s just what everyone wanted. At least the council has shown it was prepared to listen to people.”

David Ellesmere, Labour leader of the borough council, was delighted to hear the proposals had been dropped but felt it had been pointless to propose the lights in the first place.

He said: “They weren’t in the original proposal. No one wanted them. How much money has the council wasted on looking into this ludicrous idea?”

The council has confirmed it is to install traffic lights at the junction of Argyle Street and Woodbridge Road and that a new toucan crossing will be installed on Norwich Road outside the retirement flats.