Braintree District Council started operating Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) throughout the District as of 1st October 2004, as part of an Agency Agreement with Essex County Council. Under the powers of the Road Traffic Act 1991, enforcement was undertaken by Parking Attendants working for Braintree District Council. The penalty for parking contraventions in the District was £60 with a 50% discount if paid within 14 days of issue.

On 31^st March 2008, new legislation came into force that affects the way we carry out parking enforcement in the Braintree District.  This is the biggest change in parking enforcement and traffic management since the introduction of decriminalised parking.

Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 introduces Civil Parking Enforcement that is designed to create a reasonable, transparent and proportionate system of parking enforcement that is applied consistently nationwide. 

The main changes are: 

>      Decriminalised Parking Enforcement is replaced by Civil Parking Enforcement

>     There are differential penalty charge levels depending on the seriousness of the parking contravention.   Click here to view the attachment. 

>     Additional enforcement powers include being able to issue penalty charge notices for parking on pedestrian crossings, at taxi ranks and on cycle tracks.

The Higher Level Penalty Charge of £70 will be issued for parking offences such as parking in a disabled bay without displaying a valid badge or parking on double yellow lines.

The Lower Level Penalty Charge of £50 will be issues for less serious offences such as overstaying in a parking place or failing to display a valid ticket at a ‘pay and display’ parking place.

Both penalty charge levels will be reduced by 50% if payments are received within 14 days of issue of the Penalty Charge Notice.  Click here to view the attachment.