The company was fined £400 plus £562.74 costs.

The prosecution came after a council officer spotted the site, which was located at a bend in the road. He noticed that due to the works, traffic heading south to the A13 was forced into the northbound lane towards oncoming traffic.

Councillor June Leitch, executive member for public realm, said: "Thanks to the council officer who reported this incident, we managed to prevent what could have been an extremely dangerous situation.

"We are seeing an increase in works due to the regeneration that is taking place in the borough and, though it is good for Newham to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games and build new homes and businesses, we also want to send a clear message to the companies that we will not hesitate to take action if they do not comply with the law and ensure the safety of the public."