NEARLY 70 per cent of people who took our poll would want to see most of Essex’s traffic lights removed.

On Monday, the Institute of Economic Affairs released a report calling on the Government to remove most of the country's traffic lights to improve the economy.

A report by the think tank says four in every five traffic lights should be removed.

The group says the “huge proliferation in traffic regulations over the past 20 years has imposed a heavy burden” on the country.

IEA says a two minute delay to every car journey could lose the UK £16bn a year - or one per cent of gross domestic product.

A poll on our website asked readers whether they thought four out of five traffic lights in Essex should be removed.

69 per cent of people, 274 votes, agreed the county should have less traffic lights.

But 32 per cent, or 126 votes, disagreed.

The ballot provoked debate on our Facebook page with conflicting views.

Colin Bailey wrote: “Every roundabout with lights on needs to be removed so it will speed up the amount of traffic going through.”

But Mitchell Gregory disagreed, adding: “This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. Why would anybody get rid of signals? They control the flow of traffic.”