Category: Parking Information

Essex-wide Day of Action to tackle Blue Badge misuse

On 1 October, the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) conducted a successful Blue Badge Day of Action, resulting in more than 300 Blue Badges being checked, 14 being inspected and six Penalty Charge Notices issued. 

During the Day of Action, NEPP officers focused on Colchester, Clacton-on-Sea and Harlow, where hundreds of Blue Badges were checked for fraud and misuse. Officers were also available to answer any queries from the public.  

The South Essex Parking Partnership (SEPP) also participated in this Blue Badge Day of Action, making it an Essex-wide event. In total, over 700 Blue Badges were checked, 26 PCNs were issued, and two Blue Badges were confiscated across Essex. 

Blue badges provide individuals with an exemption from certain parking restrictions and access to designated disabled parking spaces. The purpose of this Day of Action was to address those misusing the badge and illegally utilising the parking concession.

Examples of Blue Badge misuse include: 

  • Using a badge when the badge holder is not part of the journey.
  • Using a badge that belongs to a deceased person.
  • Using an out of date or expired badge.

Councillor Paul Honeywood, Chair of the North Essex Parking Partnership, said: “The misuse of the Blue Badge is an act of fraud and prevents those with a valid blue badge from being able to use the accessible parking spaces they need.   

“Blue Badge abuse will not be tolerated, and I hope this Day of Action sends a clear message to anyone misusing the scheme.” 

Notes

Blue Badges in North Essex are issued by Essex County Council Social Services. 

For more information about NEPP and Blue Badges, please visit Blue Badge – North Essex Parking Partnership 


Members of the public can directly report Blue Badge misuse to the NEPP via their website: Enforcement Requests – North Essex Parking Partnership 

More information on those eligible for a Blue Badge can be found at Who can get a Blue Badge? – GOV.UK 


NEPP is planning future Days of Action across North Essex. 

British Parking Awards Finalists

Hand shown using NEPP's new website.

The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has been shortlisted as a finalist for three awards in the national British Parking Awards 2021 recognising organisations that have made a significant contribution to improving parking.

Having won the Communications award and been finalists in another two categories last year, the Partnership is keen to continue its success and has been shortlisted in the Communications Award, Positive Responses to the Pandemic Award and Parking as a Service Award categories this year.

The ‘Communications Award’ category recognises imaginative, engaging and informative approaches adopted by parking organisations to communicating with the public and other organisations. NEPP has been shortlisted for its messaging throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, helping to keep customers as up to date as possible. This includes a dedicated coronavirus webpage to keep residents informed, three videos including showing the benefits of using contactless MiPermit payments and work on social media highlighting the Positive Parking Agenda (PPA) and Selfish Parker campaigns.

The Positive responses to the pandemic award’ will be awarded to recognise and honour the exceptional work that parking teams have done to support the NHS, local authority clients and communities across the UK manage, mitigate and fight the coronavirus pandemic. Along with the dedicated coronavirus webpage, NEPP extended support to NHS staff members by offering a free parking permit. Single yellow line restrictions were eased to allow for increased homeworking and less commuters during the lockdown stages of the pandemic. Residents were also offered a three-month extension to their residents parking permits.

The Parking as a service award’ is presented for creating a positive experience for motorists, recognising work done to create easy-to-understand, non-confrontational and person-centric services. NEPP have created a positive experience for motorists by supporting the Positive Parking Agenda which focuses changing perceptions and misconceptions towards parking, as well as the Don’t be a Selfish Parker campaign. In addition, recognition is given to the 3PR and Park Safe Schools projects which aim to tackle dangerous and illegal parking around schools.

Cllr Sue Lissimore, North Essex Parking Partnership Chair, said: “I’m incredibly pleased that NEPP has been shortlisted once again in multiple categories for the prestigious national British Parking Awards. NEPP continues to receive recognition across the parking sector for its innovation, communications, customer service and project work with partner authorities and I look forward to the results next month.”

Originally launched in 2002, The British Parking Awards seeks to recognise and celebrate best practice, innovation and achievement in the design and management of both public and private sector parking.

The 2021 winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on 24 September at Royal Lancaster, London.

Key Worker Permit Update

Hand shown using NEPP's new website.

We have reviewed the NHS and Key Worker permit scheme that has been in place since March 2020.

In light of lock-down measures easing and with Government guidance encouraging employees to return to their workplaces where possible, we have made the decision to end the current permit scheme and replace it with a new scheme specifically for NHS Key Workers. This will align our scheme with the pre-existing Government permit, details of which can be found here.

All current permit holders have been contacted to provide further details on this decision and for how to apply for the new NHS specific scheme.

We would like to thank all Key Workers for their continued dedication to the national response to the pandemic and we are pleased that our temporary scheme has been so popular over what has been and continues to be, a difficult time.

Coronavirus: parking charges to be waived for critical health and social care workers

Hand shown using NEPP's new website.

Following agreement with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has suspended parking charges for key NHS workers.

The plan means no health or social care worker will have to pay parking fees in council car parks or at the roadside, when carrying out their frontline duties during the coronavirus crisis. Details and eligibility are being added all the time to the dedicated web pages at – Covid-19.

In order to limit the spread of the virus and ensure critical NHS staff can continue to carry out their frontline duties, NEPP will suspend parking charges for on-street parking and open car parks. These critical workers will be encouraged to display supporting evidence in their windscreen, such as photocopies of their work pass with sensitive information removed, or a letter of evidence from their employer.

The arrangements, which came into effect on Wednesday (25th March 2020), will continue until further notice.

NEPP also plans to waive any fines received by health and social care workers while carrying out their duties over recent days. These workers are encouraged and will be supported to appeal the fines, with supporting evidence from their employer.

And in a further step, the NEPP will now also issue MiPermit exemptions to ALL KEY WORKERS – not just those working in the NHS – so anyone classed as a critical worker employed anywhere in the NEPP area will be able to apply via MiPermit, provided that can produce evidence of their role.

Councillor Robert Mitchell, Chairman of the North Essex Parking Partnership, said: “Critical workers are doing vital and highly valued work, day and night, to support the most vulnerable in our society, save lives and keep our country running through this unprecedented crisis.

“The NEPP welcomes its role in helping key workers get to work – enabling them to park in on-street bays or council-owned car parks without having to worry about cost or time restrictions.

“But these extraordinary times are no excuse for careless or inconsiderate parking and we are asking all motorists who need to make essential journeys only since the PM’s announcement of more curbs on normal life, to park responsibly and considerately. The number-one priority for the NEPP must be to maintain access for essential services, for the benefit of all. Those unable to exercise consideration will still find a sticky envelope attached to their vehicle!”

For more information about applying for permits and how NEPP is responding to the coronavirus pandemic, please visit: Covid-19