Campaigners calling for a “rat run” in Wood Green to be closed have accused a politician of being “hostile and unhelpful”.

Neighbours in Ringslade Road and surrounding streets have called for Councillor Pat Egan to be removed as chairman of a meeting to discuss the problem on March 26.

Families have previously complained that more than 2,600 cars and lorries drive through the narrow residential streets every day.

People who live in Ringslade Road, Cumberland Road and Watson Road claim motorists use their streets as an “escape route” to get from High Road to Station Road as there is no right turn.

Haringey Borough Council agreed to hold the meeting at the Civic Centre, in High Road, Wood Green, to discuss the problem after months of complaints from residents.

However, campaigners do not want Cllr Egan, their ward councillor, to run the meeting as he lives in Barratt Avenue, which could see an increase in traffic if their campaign is successful.

Parminder Sandhu, who lives in Ringslade Road, said: “Cllr Egan has a conflict of interest and we don’t want him involved in a meeting about the issue because he won’t be impartial.

“When we had a meeting about this issue last year he was quite hostile and unhelpful.

“We are trying to work with the council to come up with a solution but he has blocked any progress that we would like to see made.”

The council has previously blamed Transport for London (TfL) for its inability to close the roads.

But campaigners have challenged this and said there is nothing to stop the council from closing off the small residential streets to through-traffic.

A spokesman for Haringey council said Cllr Egan was never going to be the chairman of the meeting and it will probably be chaired by one of the other ward councillors.

He said: “We’ve been working with residents to discuss their concerns for the past year, and this meeting will be a chance for everyone to have their say.

“We’ve already carried out pavement, road and lighting improvements to Watsons Road, and we’ll continue to listen to the community, TfL and other partners on the best way forward.”