Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The office will reopen on 2nd January 2026.
392 Route Delays 🚍
Due to ongoing roadworks in Nazeing, the 392 route is experiencing unavoidable delays.
We understand how frustrating this can be and truly appreciate your patience and support. Safety and reliability remain our top priorities, and we’re working hard to minimize disruption wherever possible.
Thank you for being understanding – and please give our drivers a smile if you see them! They’re doing a fantastic job under tough conditions. 💙
EFCT Team/Epping Forest Community Transport
Tel: 01992 579556 or efct@efcommunitytransport.org.uk
Council services over the festive period
Some services will be closed over the Christmas and New Year festive period, but you can still access many services online.
Council offices and Limes Centre
The civic offices in Epping will be closed from 12pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopen at 9am on Friday 2 January 2026. This includes our customer contact centre and Epping Community hub, and the Limes Centre in Chigwell.
Out-of-hours emergency contacts
The council’s out-of-hours telephone number is 01992 564000.
For emergency housing repairs only, call 0333 230 0464 for Qualis’s out-of-hours service. Qualis Christmas operating dates and emergency contact information
Rubbish and recycling
Check our bin collection page to see if your rubbish and recycling collection dates have changed: Check your bin collection day
Real Christmas trees can be recycled in January. Leave it with your green-lidded food and garden bin. If it’s over 6 feet, cut it in half and remove the pot and all decorations.
Boxes can be flat-packed and placed in your blue-lidded recycling bin. If the cardboard is too large to fit in the recycling bin, flat pack it and place it next to your blue lidded recycling bin on your next recycling week.
Recycling centres will be closed on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve from 1pm, and closed all day on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Find opening times for recycling centres on the Love Essex website
Warm places
Some of our warm places are available over the Christmas and New Year festive period: Find a warm place
Lost or found dogs
If you have lost or found a dog in the Epping Forest area, you can contact the Waltham Forest dog team between 10am and 7pm on all days except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Call 07815 512833 or Report a stray dog
St Clare Hospice’s Christmas tree collection
St Clare Hospice is offering a Christmas tree collection and recycling service in January for a suggested donation of £15 per tree.
The donation will go directly towards supporting people living with life-limiting illnesses or those facing bereavement.
The collection dates for are Thursday 8 January 2026, Friday 9 January 2026 and Saturday 10 January 2026. All trees must be booked in advance. Registration closes on Tuesday 6 January 2026. Their no is 01279 773750.
Book your Christmas tree collection on the St Clare Hospice website