RESIDENTS say they are being driven round the bend by traffic chaos at a junction.
A zebra crossing in Greyhound Lane, Streatham, has been replaced by a pedestrian crossing controlled by traffic lights.
The red lights have caused gridlock out-side Streatham Common Station and long tailbacks for traffic trying to get across the junction of Greyhound Lane and Eardley Road.
Drivers' frustration has been turned to fury as, after finally inching onto the junction, they are issued with penalty charge notices by Lambeth council for stopping inside yellow box road markings.
Paul Chesterman, chairman of the Streatham Vale Property Occupiers' Association, said: "It is total gridlock.
"We asked for years for the old pedestrian crossing to be upgraded to one with pedestrian controlled lights but we did not ask for the additional non-pedestrian controlled lights which are causing severe tailbacks over the bridge and down Streatham Vale as far as Grove Road.
"I have asked for the new lights to be switched off and the spotter van removed until the situation could be resolved, but council officers have chosen to ignore my request."
Traffic making the sharp turn left out of one-way street Eardley Road into Greyhound Lane cannot see when the pedestrian crossing traffic lights are red because their view is blocked by the station building.
Meanwhile, drivers coming along Streatham Vale where it becomes Greyhound Lane cannot see the lights at the pedestrian crossing over the brow of the rail-way bridge.
This means many motorists find themselves in the yellow box at the junction where a Lambeth council spotter van can often be found poised to slap a penalty charge notice on them.
Traffic turning right out of Eardley Road into Streatham Vale has also fallen prey to zealous ticketing.
Although the lights in Eardley Road are green, the lights outside Homebase quickly turn red.
Drivers cannot see the Homebase lights from the Eardley junction and again get caught in the yellow box.
A Transport for London spokeswoman said: "We are waiting for the installation of a BT line which will enable the traffic lights to be controlled at our traffic control centre in Victoria rather than the lights being on timings.
"This will happen within the next week to get things moving."
A Lambeth council spokesman said: "The yellow box junctions have been there for a number of years and there is adequate visibility. Motorists entering the yellow boxes are making the situation worse for other road users."
The council was unable to provide details about how many penalty charge notices it had issued.
