THE human rights of people using all 46 of Epping Forest’s car parks for sex need to be balanced with those of other users according to new guidelines.

Earlier this summer the Guardian revealed that car parks and wooded areas in Epping, Waltham Abbey, Chigwell and Abridge are being advertised on web sites as meeting places for sex between strangers, an activity known as dogging.

Now the Corporation of London which is responsible for Epping Forest is set to adopt new guidelines from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) which suggest that any enforcement action should only be taken as a last resort.

Among those areas identified are the Jacks Hill car parks and the Genesis Slade car park in Theydon Bois, the Woodyard car park in Epping and the grassy slopes below Pillow Mounds in High Beach.

The ACPO guidelines aim to strike a balance between the “human rights of legitimate users and those people who frequent open spaces for the purposes of having sexual relationships.”

A report for the Corporation stated: “Routine patrols of the forest's 46 car parks by keepers and police, together with litter picking evidence, suggest that many, if not all, of the car parks are used by people seeking sexual contact at various times.”

Under the guidelines, police are advised that they must go through three stages before they can begin enforcement action against people having sex in public.

Police are advised to investigate complaints, issue warnings and carry out information campaigns and special patrols before even thinking about arresting anyone.

The guidance states that the fourth step “should only be used as a last resort” as “enforcement action can have a negative impact on trust and confidence between the police and the community.”