You said we did: first fines issued for fly-flagging!
Following an increase in flags being inappropriately hung from Braintree’s lampposts and other roadside furniture, we have introduced a new bylaw that prohibits unauthorised public flag installations.
Fly-flagging is now treated similarly to fly-tipping, as the flags – often of poor quality and made overseas – rapidly disintegrate, tangle around branches or posts, and generally look untidy.
We are having to maintain or remove old flags at great expense to the taxpayer, so this new law will hopefully deter would-be fly-flaggers.
Fines of up to £3,000 may be issued to offenders as they will need to cover the cost of removing the unsafe or soiled flags.
Yesterday morning saw the first fines issued following an anonymous tip-off. In the early hours, officers caught two men in the act of scaling a lamppost.
They were dressed all in black and in possession of 23 flags, cable ties, and a crudely drawn diagram of how to safely attach a flag to a telegraph pole.
After their property was seized as evidence, they were issued with on-the-spot fines of £76 each.
I hope this sends a clear message to any other overly enthusiastic fly-flaggers. We must ensure our roads are safe and well-maintained, and we will not hesitate to take further action.
