Plateau Mont Royal mayor Luc Ferrandez attempts to explain his traffic-calming measures to angry residents Tuesday night. (CBC)

Hundreds of angry residents of Montreal's Plateau Mont Royal neighbourhood packed a church Tuesday night to vent their frustrations over the borough's new traffic-calming measures.

Many shouted insults at Plateau mayor Luc Ferrandez, as he tried to explain the reasons behind the traffic plan.

Borough officials switched the direction of traffic on several streets in mid-May, the most controversial being the change on Christophe-Colomb Ave., where one block is now one-way north while the rest of the street remains southbound.

Nobody at Tuesday night's meeting was happy, and residents stepped up to the mic to criticize Ferrandez.

One man rose from his seat and rushed to the front of the church to yell at the mayor up-close, calling him a liar repeatedly.

Another resident complained Ferrandez was more interested in stopping cars from cutting through the borough than meeting the needs of residents.

The man added that the new measures have lengthened his commute to work by 20 minutes.

People living on residential streets said the changes have increased cars on those smaller streets.

Ferrandez fielded the questions and tried to address concerns at the meeting, but he said he would not bend to calls for a reversal of the traffic plan.

Changes to Plateau streets as of May 13:

• Christophe-Colomb Ave. changed to one-way going north, for one block between Laurier and Saint-Joseph
• Laurier Ave. is now a one-way street going east, between Saint Laurent Blvd and Mentana St.
• Resther St. changed to one-way going north between Bibaud and Saint-Grégoire
• Bibaud St. is now a one-way street going east between Berri and Resther