No direction home

As someone whose return journey from many a business trip has taken in the delights of Leytonstone town centre, I shudder at the mere mention of the words "one-way system".

But I'm just thankful I don't live in the Paris districts of Levallois-Perret or Clichy-la-Garenne, where mayoral one-upmanship is wreaking havoc with commuters' lives. Levallois mayor Patrick Balkany made local road the D909 a one-way street to alleviate congestion in his constituency.

Clichy mayor Gilles Catoire was peeved at the resultant increase in traffic in his town and acted to swiftly to declare his section of the thoroughfare one-way - in the opposite direction.

His deputy Alain Fournier conceded the move was "not a long-term solution".

D'you reckon? They could use this guy's brand of lateral thinking at Waltham Forest Council.