The council is training new highway rangers to improve the upkeep of roads in the district.

Epping Forest District is working in partnership with Essex County Council Highways to ‘take back control of some of the local highways issues’.

Two new highway rangers, who are currently in training, will be undertaking tasks such as cleaning and minor repairs to non-electrical road signs, trimming vegetation and grass cutting, clearing of footway drainage channels and litter picking from highway land.

Councillor welcomed the news at last week’s cabinet meeting.

Council Leader Chris Whitbread said: “It’s great news to have the Highways Rangers under Epping Forest District control. I welcome our additional investment in these difficult times and we look forward to them being able to do more to improve our district.”

The district council and town and parish councils will contribute to a pot of money to pay for repairs to things like fingerposts which councillors see as an important part of the district’s street scene heritage.

A fingerpost is a traditional type of sign consisting of a post with one or more arms, known as fingers, pointing in the direction of travel to places named on the fingers.

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