Car Hire in Waltham Abbey

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

Driving and Parking in Waltham Abbey: What You Need to Know

• Emission zones: Waltham Abbey sits in Essex, outside the London Ultra Low Emission Zone, so no charge applies for driving in the town. The ULEZ covers all London boroughs and costs £12.50 per day for a vehicle that does not meet the standard, which is Euro 4 for petrol cars and Euro 6 for diesel cars. The M25 is not included. Check the car against its V5C details at tfl.gov.uk before you drive into London.
• Congestion Charge: The central London charge is £15 per day, from 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. It is separate from the ULEZ, and the zone boundary and payment deadline are set by Transport for London at tfl.gov.uk.
• Dartford Crossing: The crossing on the eastern M25 is charged through Dart Charge, 6am to 10pm every day. The fee is £3.50 pay as you go or £2.80 with an account, and it must be paid by midnight the day after you cross. A penalty of £70 applies if it is missed.
• Town centre driving: Waltham Abbey is a market town about 15 miles north-east of London, between the River Lea and Epping Forest. The centre around Sun Street and Market Square is historic, so set the satnav before you move off. Drive on the left throughout, and at roundabouts give way to traffic from the right and travel clockwise.
• Parking: The district council lists car parks at Cornmill (EN9 1RB), Darby Drive (EN9 1EE) and Quaker Lane (EN9 1ER). Tariffs and payment are handled through MiPermit, so check the sign and the tariff before you leave the car. Never park on double yellow lines.
• Bus lanes and restrictions: Where bus lanes operate, the hours are shown on the sign at the start of each lane, and contraventions are enforced by penalty charge notice.
• Speed limits: Limits are in miles per hour: 30 mph in built-up areas unless signed otherwise, with 20 mph zones common on residential streets, 60 mph on single carriageways, and up to 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal.
• Best time to drive: Weekday commuter periods in the morning and late afternoon are the slowest times on the approaches to the town and the M25. Mid-morning, early afternoon and weekends are easier.
• Driving on the left: If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time and take the first few minutes slowly. 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.
• Around Waltham Abbey: The medieval Abbey Church is said to be the burial place of Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king, and a 14th-century gatehouse and bridge stand in the Abbey grounds. The Royal Gunpowder Mills, a former explosives site, cover about 175 acres, and Gunpowder Park is a 115-hectare country park where car parking charges apply.

Top Places to Visit from Waltham Abbey by Car

• Hatfield House — about 13.5 miles north-west, in roughly 23 minutes. The present Jacobean house was built in 1611 on the site of Hatfield Palace, built around 1485, where Elizabeth I spent much of her life. Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, demolished three wings of the palace in 1608 before the rebuild.
• St Albans — about 17 miles north-west, in roughly 20 minutes. St Albans Cathedral is described as the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. The Romans conquered the site in 43 AD, and the Roman theatre in Verulamium Park remains among the most impressive Roman remains in the area.
• Cambridge — about 42 miles north, in roughly 55 minutes. King's College Chapel was founded by Henry VI in 1441 and is known for its fan-vaulted ceiling and 16th-century stained glass. The Fitzwilliam Museum, established in 1816 on Trumpington Street, holds works by Titian, Monet, Turner and Gainsborough, and entry is free.
• Colchester — about 47 miles north-east, in roughly 1 hour 4 minutes. Colchester Castle was built in the late 1070s on the order of William the Conqueror, and its Norman keep is said to be the largest surviving example in Europe. The museum inside covers over 2,500 years of local history, and the Roman walls were built to protect the town after Boudicca destroyed it in 60 CE.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Waltham Abbey?

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 arrive for the town and Epping Forest. 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 day trips to Hatfield House, St Albans, Cambridge and Colchester are easy to plan around the weather.

Low season: January, February and the quieter weeks of November are the least busy. Winter hires suit day trips and business travel, but allow extra time on the M25 and the main approach roads 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 at the desk 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, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Waltham Abbey

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.

Car Hire Suppliers in Waltham Abbey

Car hire in Waltham Abbey is available through the following suppliers.

• Green Motion
• U-Save Car Rental

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Waltham Abbey

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.

• Waltham Abbey Delivery