A MINICAB firm which applied to open an office on a busy road junction was told that its proposal would cause too much congestion.

Mr C Waqar of Top Cars asked for planning permission to covert a hairdressers into a minicab office, at 286 Hoe Street, Walthamstow. But councillors and planning officers agreed with residents that it would be a traffic disaster.

Neighbour Joanne Cardwell said that traffic-calming measures had just been put in Priory Avenue and 30-minute parking bays installed in Hoe Street to help shoppers and deliveries. She feared they would be constantly taken up with taxis.

John Mason, who has been living in Priory Avenue for 16 years, said: "I feel that many cabs are going to be working on a time basis and I think they're likely to speed down our road."

Walthamstow Central bus station manager, Dennis Heath, also objected, saying that the cabs would make life even more difficult for bus drivers on a road which was already congested and which all bus routes in the area went down.

Speaking at the meeting Mrs Waqar said the company needed space for computers and filing cabinets and had no intention of using it as an over-the-counter office.

She said the firm's taxis were based in Leyton and Higham Hill and in the Sainsbury's car park in Walthamstow High Street, adding the company had enough business from ten freephones it operates in the borough.

But councillors did not accept her argument.

Cllr Matt Davis said that the temptation was going to be too great to operate an over the counter service.

And Cllr Alan Siggers asked why Top Cars needed a shop when upstairs office space would be cheaper.

Councillors voted unanimously against the proposal.

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