London Ultra-Low Emission Zone

London Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)

The Mayor of London has decided to expand the ULEZ to all London boroughs. This does not include Essex.

The extension is set to come into force from 29 August 2023 and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day. The TfL website—tfl.gov.uk has been updated with details of the new scheme. Nigel Bedford, Cabinet Member for Place at Epping Forest District Council said: “We have voiced our concerns about the extension of the ULEZ through the formal consultation process.”

With the south of our District bordering three London boroughs and being in close proximity to the A406, the expansion of will undoubtedly have a direct impact on our District.

Salting of local roads and pavements

Essex County Council look after the roads and pavements in Essex. Epping Town Council has engaged with Essex County Council’s salt bag partnership scheme, which is where Essex County Council delivers some bags of salt for residents to collect to salt their own roads. Epping Town Council placed the salt delivered by Essex County Council in three green salt bins in Beaconsfield Road, Rayfield and Parklands, Coopersale. The salt is only delivered once and is there until it runs out. Essex County Council bins are yellow and there is lots of information on their website about their gritting and salting programmes. If residents are having trouble accessing salt from these salt bins, salt can be purchased from local suppliers, such as petrol stations and online.

Cllr Ken Williamson Cabinet Member for Technical Services added: “We share a common goal of improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.”

“Having reviewed the consultation documents, in principle we support the aims of the expansion put forth by TfL but also have concerns that TfL and the Mayor of London need to address including our concerns about EFDC residents’ access to Whipps Cross Hospital and other health facilities within the zone To check your vehicle. reg.web.tflcc.co.uk. to find out if your vehicle meets emissions and safety standards required to drive in London, or if you need to pay a daily charge.

Green tree planted as part of Queen's Green Canopy

A tree has been planted on the Town Green, Epping, by Epping Town Council with the City of London Corporation as part of the Queen's Green Canopy nationwide initiative to mark her late Majesty's Platinum Jubilee. The initiative is now being led by His Majesty the King. The tree was planted by Deputy Lieutenant of Essex Hugh Pegrum, as the King's representative, with Epping Town Mayor councillor Barbara Scruton, and Ben Murphy, chairman of the City of London Corporation's Epping Forest and Commons Committee. The initiative was due to conclude at the

end of the Jubilee year - however as the official tree planting season in the UK is from October to March, His Majesty the King has agreed to extend the scheme to give people the opportunity to plant trees in memorial, to honour the late Queen. The aim of the Queen's Green Canopy is to create a living legacy with more than one million trees planted in HM Queen Elizabeth II's name during the first planting season.

The extension of the initiative will build on this legacy and serve as a lasting tribute to Her Majesty's extraordinary service to her country and her people. As Patron of the Queen's Green Canopy, His Majesty The King selected Epping Forest as one of the 70 Ancient Woodlands in the UK to be recognised by the scheme, Epping Forest has more than one million and more than 55,000 of those are designated as ancient, one of the largest collections in the UK. HM The King is hoping memorial planting will allow the Queen's Green Canopy to surpass the two million new trees planted to help counteract climate change and improve biodiversity across the nation. Once the tree is planted, it will be entered onto the QGC online map for all to see and hopefully be reviewed by the King.

North Weald Bassett Parish Council's tree planting at Weald Common is progressing "extremely well", however the snow has forced a temporary halt to the project for a few days.

Planting started on November 28 with children from St Andrew's Primary School's Eco-Warrior Group to get involved in early January.

More than 2,400 trees are being planted with native species having been sourced such as willow, poplar, hazel, alder, hawthorn, sweet chestnut and oak.

The area has been divided into three planting compartments with specific species chosen for each to ensure they are planted in the right place for the conditions.

It is hoped the new woodland will enhance the biodiversity in this important location.

The well-trodden pathways that cross the field have been used as a planting guide and will continue to allow access for walkers once the planting has been completed.

Parish council chairman councillor Alan Buckley said: "We will also be planting six oak tree saplings around the perimeter of the common, which have been donated by a North Weald resident to the project. "The central focal point of the plantings at the inaugural Copper Beech Tree will be a plaque in remembrance of our late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the Queen's Green Canopy project together with two benches and two information boards providing a potted history of the immediate area during the Second World War and a picture briefing of the types of trees which have formed the parish council’s project."