More than year after a 1,800-strong petition was submitted for better crossings at a busy Ilford junction, a plan has been put forward.

The petition from September 2011 called for more crossings at the junction of Northbrook Road, Cranbrook Road and The Drive and for new security gates at the side entrance of Apex Primary School.

Pedestrians can currently only cross on the north side of Cranbrook Road and left turn of The Drive and traffic patterns make it dangerous to cross the other turnings.

Transport for London investigated the junction and decided it needed improvements after measuring traffic flow, pedestrian numbers and past accidents.

Councillors at Tuesday’s area seven committee meeting were presented with three possible options, which varied hugely in cost and design.

The first and most expensive included widening The Drive, removing the flower bed, making “sheep pens” for pedestrians and changing traffic light phases to suit people crossing the road.

Highways officer Terry Andrews said it was “the best option but by far the most expensive” at nearly �500,000.

Option two was the cheapest but councillors were worried that having all the lights go red at once would delay traffic.

The third option was chosen, which would extend waiting restrictions around the junction, make new “sheep pen” crossings on Cranbrook Road and stagger traffic lights so people could cross the roads in halves.

Cyclists would be banned from turning left into Northbrook Road and re-routed onto the footway.

Cllr Ross Hatfull said the plans, which would cost �236,860 were a “sensible middle” solution.

A decision will be taken on the crossing at a future cabinet meeting.