EPPING Forest District Council and North Weald Market operator Saunders Markets have vowed to prevent any repeat of the serious traffic congestion associated with last Monday’s (4 May 2026) Bank Holiday Market.

The Council and Saunders have issued full and sincere apologies to all those affected by the disruption along with an immediate 7-point plan to prevent a recurrence.

A spokesperson said: “We are really sorry for the disruption. Having reviewed the events of Monday, we are introducing immediate measures to prevent a repeat of this situation, starting this coming Saturday.

Immediate actions being implemented

Updating all advertised postcodes and directions so that visitors are routed only via Merlin Way
Locking Gate I, restricting it to authorised vehicles only, preventing pedestrian access
Installing clear signage on Hurricane Way stating there is no vehicle or pedestrian access to North Weald Market
Deploying staff on Hurricane Way to redirect visitors to Merlin Way
Coning and taping off the Hurricane Way junction to deter access
Reintroduce a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order making Church Lane one way only, southbound
Placing ‘no parking signs’ on local public green spaces

The Council and Saunders are also committed to further consultation with North Weald Bassett Parish Council and the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) on what further steps may be practical.

North Weald Market is one of the largest and most successful outdoor markets in the UK. Income from the market helps Epping Forest District Council support local public services.

Further steps and considerations

Some, but not all the factors were foreseeable. We can see what went wrong and we are working hard to fix it.

We were surprised by political event staged without permission, swelling the number of people coming to the airfield.

We will introduce parking restrictions in key hotspot areas around the airfield to discourage inconsiderate parking and improve safety.

Satnav systems also incorrectly sent some visitors to the wrong access leading to parking in unsuitable locations, and some pedestrians using the wrong gate. Once this flow began, it escalated quickly and resulted in congestion beyond the boundary of the airfield.

The new market car park has worked well for the last six weeks, and while there was plenty of spare capacity, the new and unfamiliar layout may also have contributed to the disruption. These changes are still within an adjustment period, and we are continually refining the process.

“We would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding, and we remain committed to working with the market organisers and the community to ensure future market days are managed smoothly and responsibly for our local residents and our market visitors.”