Car Hire in Braintree

Part of our guide to car hire in the United Kingdom.

Driving and Parking in Braintree: What You Need to Know

• Town driving: Braintree is a market town in north Essex, and its main roads are easy to follow. The A120 runs as a dual carriageway from Stansted Airport to the King William junction at the western edge of the town, then continues along the eastern side as a bypass to Galleys Corner and Marks Farm. At Marks Farm the A120 meets the A131, which runs south-west to Chelmsford and north to Halstead and Sudbury. Drive on the left throughout, and at roundabouts give way to traffic already on the roundabout, which comes from the right.
• Galleys Corner: The dual carriageway ends at this roundabout south-east of the town, where the B1018 leads south towards Witham, past Braintree Village and Braintree Freeport station. Check your exit before you enter, because several routes leave the roundabout within a short distance.
• Parking: Braintree District Council runs the town centre car parks on a pay and display basis. Station Approach (CM7 3QL) has 135 bays, is open every day, and takes payment at the machine or by phone. It has a 2.1 m height barrier, so roof boxes and tall vehicles will not fit. Short-stay charges are £1.55 for up to one hour and £2.95 for one to three hours on weekdays, and the long-stay rate is £6.25 for up to 24 hours from Monday to Friday. Read the tariff board at the entrance of any car park before you leave the car, because charges change. Never park on double yellow lines.
• Clean air and restricted zones: Braintree is outside London's ULEZ and Congestion Charge zones, so neither applies in the town. If your route continues into Greater London, check Transport for London's rules before you cross the boundary.
• Toll roads: There are no toll roads in Braintree. The nearest charge is the Dart Charge at the Dartford Crossing on the M25, which applies from 6am to 10pm every day, including weekends and bank holidays. Cars pay £3.50 pay-as-you-go, or £2.80 with a Dart Charge account, and payment is due by midnight the day after you cross at gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge. A missed payment results in a £70 penalty charge notice. Ask the supplier at collection how the Dart Charge is handled on your vehicle.
• Speed limits: Limits are in miles per hour: 30 mph in built-up areas unless signed otherwise, with 20 mph zones in some residential streets, 60 mph on single carriageways, and up to 70 mph on dual carriageways. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal.
• Driving on the left: If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time, take the first few minutes slowly and set the satnav before you move off. The driver's seat is on the right, and the most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic from the right.
• Best time to drive: Weekday commuter periods in the morning and late afternoon are the slowest times on the A120 and the A131. Mid-morning, early afternoon and weekends are the easier windows for leaving town.
• Road signs and junctions: At a stop sign, come to a complete stop and then give way to all traffic. Do not enter a box junction unless your exit is clear, and stop at flashing red lights at railway crossings until they stop flashing.
• Seat belts and alcohol: Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt, in the rear seats as well as the front. Children under 3 need a suitable restraint in any vehicle, and the driver is responsible for passengers under 14. The legal blood alcohol limit in England is 0.08 per cent, and the safest approach is not to drink at all if you are driving.
• Car for the countryside: Braintree sits roughly halfway between Colchester, Chelmsford and Bishop's Stortford, and the villages and market towns around it are far easier to reach by car than by public transport. A hire car suits day trips across north Essex and into Suffolk.

Top Places to Visit from Braintree by Car

• Chelmsford — about 11 miles south-west via the A131, in roughly 15 minutes. The A131 bypasses Great Notley and joins the A12 at the Boreham Interchange, which makes Chelmsford the quickest of the larger towns to reach. It also gives access to the A12 towards London and the M25.
• Colchester — about 19 miles east via the A120, in roughly 30 minutes off-peak. The A120 meets the A12 at Marks Tey, and the A12 continues into Colchester. Rush hour can add a further 15 minutes or more, and the B1256 offers a slower alternative.
• Great Dunmow — about 11 miles west along the A120, in roughly 15 minutes. The market town sits on the dual carriageway towards Stansted, which makes it an easy half-day trip.
• London Stansted Airport — about 18 miles west along the A120, in roughly 25 minutes. The A120 runs directly to the airport junction, and from there the M11 leads north to Cambridge and south to London. Allow extra time at peak hours when collecting or returning a car around a flight.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Braintree?

Peak season: Demand rises over the school summer holidays, from late July to the end of August, and again around Christmas and Easter, when visitors are staying with family in north Essex. Bank holiday weekends tighten availability in the same way, and the most popular vehicle classes are the first to go.

Shoulder season: Spring and autumn outside school breaks are steadier. Weekday availability is generally good, and trips to Colchester, Chelmsford and the villages around the town are easy to plan around the weather.

Low season: January, February and the quieter weeks of November are the least busy. Winter hires suit business travel and day trips, but allow extra time on the A120 and the A131 on weekday mornings.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for school holidays and bank holiday weekends, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight or a train arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change, and the balance is paid on collection, so nothing is charged in full at the time of booking.

Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire. Refuel before you set out on a long day trip so that you are not searching for a fuel station on the way.

Car Hire Suppliers in Braintree

Car hire in Braintree is available through the following suppliers.

• Green Motion
• U-Save Car Rental

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Braintree

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Braintree Delivery