POLICE are cracking down on dangerous drivers making an illegal manoeuvre at Sadlers Farm.

Road traffic officers have been seen parked up at the roundabout, watching out for motorists ignoring ‘No Left Turn’ signs when joining Canvey Way from London Road, Benfleet.

Drivers travelling clockwise on the roundabout are supposed to use a designated sliproad. Some have been spotted regularly passing the turning to bypass traffic, instead using the anti-clockwise junction to join Canvey Way - when they are in fact in lane to continue onto the London-bound A13.

Officers were last seen at the roundabout on Thursday, handing out £100 fines and three penalty points to drivers caught out.

Essex Police has refused to give details of the operation to the Echo.

Islanders have welcomed the crackdown on impatient drivers.

Matt Crow, from Canvey, travels to and from Romford everyday for work.

He said: “Anyone that uses the disaster that is Sadlers Farm and turns into Canvey Way during rush hour everyday should be happy to see Essex Police cracking down on people making illegal left turns.

“We all want to get home but some people need to be five minutes earlier and blatantly ignore the three signs saying ‘No Left Turn’, which in turn creates further traffic issues.”

Ray Howard, deputy county councillor for transport and parking, said the actions comes after he pleased with police to enforce the traffic rules.

He said: “What is frustrating is the £65million improvements to Sadlers Farm generally have improved the traffic flow for people coming from the Dartford Tunnel towards the A127 and A130. However Canvey Way has not got any better.

“People sit and wait in the queues to go onto Canvey Way and people are jumping the queue by turning left at the lights and ignoring the sliproad. It is unfair of people to do that.

“It is a traffic offence and I am pleased that the police are enforcing it.”

The notorious roundabout was widened and altered into one large roundabout, instead of a series of mini roundabouts, in 2012.