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December 2016

Campaigning for better public transport and safer streets in Epping Forest.

Urgent: 505 bus and local plan consultation
Dear <<Comms name>>,

Welcome to our last general newsletter email of the year which includes two important actions for you to take and, unusually, some good news.

505 Bus Route


As you may be aware Trusty Bus plan to stop running the 505 Chingford – Harlow bus service later this month. This is a vital service which has been underused, largely down to infrequent and unreliable services.

EOS London have offered to extend their current 86 Waltham Cross – Harlow service to include the Chingford section currently covered by the 505, with an increased hourly service. They’ve approached Essex County Council to secure a subsidy for the route on a trial basis but it looks as though the request could be turned down.

We need to make sure our county councillors are aware of the importance of the route. Please email your county councillor and Eddie Johnson, Essex County Council’s Highways and Public Transport portfolio holder, to ask them to support the subsidy.

There are contact details and more background on our site here: Save the 505.

If you’re on social media please share that page with the hashtag #Savethe505

Local Plan Consultation


The Epping Forest Local Plan consultation closes tomorrow, Monday 12th, at 5.00pm.  IT’s important that our District Council knows that better public transport and safer streets can’t be an afterthought: they need to be at the heart of the local plan.

You can coimplete the consultation online here: Epping Forest Local Plan

Bus Services Bill


The Bill has finished its House of Lords stages and we’re still waiting to hear when it will get its second reading in the House of Commons. It seems likely that many of the House of Lords amendments will be challenged on the House of Commons. We’ll keep you informed of local and national campaigns.

A handy briefing paper summarising the bill and its progress to date has been published on the Parliament website: Briefing paper on second reading

Video from the last few House of Lords debates and other information are on our website: Bus Services Bill

December meeting


Weds 14th, 7.30pm

The Last Post, Loughton High Road

As we’re nearing Christmas we’ve decided to hold December’s meeting in a pub. This will be an informal meeting with updates from our current campaigns, any new issues that have cropped up and general chat.

The venue’s relatively well served by public transport with the 167, 20, 240, 250 and 66 all stopping nearby.
Our Public Transport and Employment in Epping Forest survey is still live. Please complete it and share it around.

eftag.org.uk/emp2016