Background
The Epping Forest Charity announced a renewed Transport Strategy for the Forest in late 2025. This was intended to build on the old strategy, whose intentions were to reduce adverse environmental impacts, improve road and pedestrian safety, enhance accessibility for Forest users, and support the Conservators’ programme to re-establish commoners’ cattle grazing.
We contributed to a discussion on approaches the new strategy at a Epping Forest Consultative Group (EFCG) workshop in February 2026. We followed this up with written recommendations for the new strategy, reflecting our key priorities like reducing speed limits around the Forest and encouraging joined up thinking between the Epping Forest Charity and all surrounding local authorities.
An updated Transport Strategy has been replaced by a suggested integration of transport agenda items into the Epping Forest’s Charity’s upcoming Visitor Management Strategy. We are awaiting confirmation, as well as the first signs of the Visitor Management Strategy.
Mount Pleasant is one of the safe crossing points we advocate for in our policy work,
including the Make Epping New Road Safe campaign.
29th June 2026
The recommendation to add transport elements into the Visitor Management Strategy, rather than having two separate strategies is announced at the Epping Forest & Commons Committee Meeting.
6th June 2026
We publish our recommendations for the City’s upcoming Transport Strategy, including:
- The New Strategy should cover the whole Forest, involving the local authorities of Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest as well as EFDC and ECC
- Improve Epping New Road with a 30mph blanket speed limit and traffic calming measures at Lincolns Lane and Mount Pleasant crossing points
- Implement joined up policy between the new Transport Strategy, the Visitor Management Strategy and the SAMM strategy, ensuring that these strategies are cross-referenced in each
- Implement better bus services to, through and around the Forest
- Investigate modern ways to restrict traffic which impedes Forest visitors and local people, using all the modern technology at its disposal
- Review the red lines at High Beach
February 2026
A workshop is held with members of the Epping Forest Consultative Group to discuss priorities. A draft strategy and public consultation is intended to follow.
November 2025
Updated Transport Strategy is announced to commence in the new year. Public consultation will be preceded by a workshop in February 2026 where EFCG groups will be invited to put forward comments on the successes of the previous strategy and what needs to re-enter the agenda. Public consultation will take place in spring 2026, with a final draft aimed for November 2026.
2008
First Transport Strategy published