People living in a one-way road have said drivers often put lives in danger by travelling in the wrong direction, days after a cyclist was critically injured in a collision.

A 51-year-old man from Loughton sustained a serious head injury on Saturday (May 30) when he collided with a car at the junction of Colebrook Lane and Castell Road in Loughton at 9pm.

On Sunday, the man’s condition was described as “critical but stable”.

The 28-year-old man driving the silver Vauxhall Astra was arrested and bailed under July 21 pending further enquiries. 

Following the crash, people living nearby have highlighted a number of safety concerns, including cars travelling on the wrong side of the road.

Dave Pearce, 75, said he is surprised there has not been an even more serious accident.

He said: “Some of the drivers come round the corner sharply, and if there an idiot coming down the wrong way they do not expect anyone coming round.

“One of these days there is going to be an even worse accident.”

Les Hill, 62, of Castell Road, said he feels the adjacent Colebrook Lane has become slightly safer in recent years, but he claimed young people often speed along it.

He said: “You get young people racing up and down.

“Generally it is better than it used to be, but we have had someone come through the fence before.

“They ended up nearly coming through the door.”

He added: “You do get a lot of people abusing the one way system.

“If there was someone coming in the opposite direction you cannot blame them.”

Esra Aksil of Castell Road claimed that reckless joyriders used the road as a racetrack.

She said: “Sometimes at night you hear young people going round and round in circles at the junction.

“They drive recklessly, it is dangerous.”

Any witnesses or anyone with information about the events leading to the collision should contact officers at Chigwell Road Policing Unit by phoning 101.