FAMILIES of those killed on the district's roads have criticised a new proposal to ban grieving friends and relatives from laying roadside flowers on the anniversaries of loved ones' deaths.

The new set of policies, set to be introduced next month, would also see a 90-day time limit imposed on all floral tributes following a death, along with a flat out refusal by the authorities to even consider applications for permanent memorials from families.

All forest roadside flowers laid on the anniversary of a death will also be removed "immediately" from February 1.

The controversial regulations have been drawn up by the Corporation of London, which owns and maintains Epping Forest land, with Essex County Council also expected to formally adopt them soon.

The corporation argues that many roadside tributes are in themselves potential road safety hazards, a claim rejected by campaigners and relatives who say the proposals are insensitive and unnecessary.

Stephen Lawley, whose 21-year-old son Adam died in a car crash in London Road near Stapleford Tawney in November last year, said the move was a “backwards step”.

He said: “I'm disappointed to hear it. I know a lot of people have got a lot of solace and pleasure from putting flower's at the site and they did it on the one-year anniversary of Adam's death and at Christmas too.

“We find it comforting and it's also helpful for drivers going past to alert them. Memorials let people who drive by see that something serious has happened at that site.”

Ken Russell, whose brother Derrick Russell died in a crash in Pudding Lane, Chigwell, in November 2007, said: “If there are enough road safety measures already there then I can't see flowers causing a problem.

“I think the authorities should be more worried about sorting out speeding to help stop accidents, then we'd have less of them and there would be less flowers in the first place.”

Charity Roadpeace also criticised the policy.

Spokeswoman Susanna Wright said: “We do not approve of time limitations as we know from the experiences of our members that grief does not have a set time period.

“In some cases a local authority will argue that the time limit is in terms of safely, however it is our view that if a memorial is safe for a limited time period, then this does not change with time - either it is safe or it is not.”

Superintendent of Epping Forest Paul Thomson said: "We do of course have sympathy with those who have lost their loved ones and we respect their wishes and that is why we are proposing temporary memorial arrangements.

"Our role as conservators of the forest is to balance the needs of everyone, including those of the bereaved, with that of other forest users, the local community and public safety. "The proposed policy is in line with those adopted by a number of Local Authorities across the UK."

The corporation's commons committee will vote on the plans on Monday January 11.