The top 10 roads in Reading where drivers get parking fines

The top 10 roads in Reading where drivers have been hit with parking fines has been revealed.

Every year, Reading Borough Council releases figures for how many parking fines were issued over 12 months as part of its annual parking services report.

The latest report covers the April 2021-April 2022 financial year, with statistics showing a soar in the amount of fines issued compared to 2020/21 – at the peak of the pandemic.

Reading Borough Council issued a total of 53,550 fines in 2021/22.

Of those 48,355 were paid, as 5,195 were cancelled.

The fines are issued via penalty charge notices (PCNs) which cost £70 or £50 depending on the seriousness of the breach, and can be paid at a discount of £35 or £25 within 14 days of issue.

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Statistics show 2,470 of PCNs were cancelled after a formal or informal appeal, and 2,725 were written off for other reasons.

The number of fines issued has soared compared to the previous year, with 34,541 PCNs in 2020/21 rising by 19,009 to 53,550 in 2021/22.

The council’s parking services team also revealed where each parking fine was issued, with the majority of fines being dished out in town centre roads.

A whopping 8,219 fines were issued in Oxford Road, with over 5,000 fines being issued in Friar Street, Sackville Street, Vachel Road and Zinzan Street – all of which are located in the town centre.

  1. Oxford Road – 8,219
  2. Friar Street – 1,826
  3. Sackville Street – 1,585
  4. Wokingham Road – 1,527
  5. Kings Road – 1,172
  6. Vachel Road – 1,174
  7. Zinzan Street – 1,132
  8. Cheapside – 867
  9. Castle Street – 686
  10. The Forbury – 482

Despite the number of fines paid, the council still spent more funds enforcing parking rules then it made in income.

Enforcing parking rules cost the council £1.734 million but raised it £1.675 million leading to a net cost of £59,782.

However, that’s substantially less than the amount spent on enforcing parking rules during the pandemic, when the council ending up with a surplus cost of £1.100 million.

The statistics were published and presented to councillors at a meeting of the traffic management committee on Thursday, January 12.

Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) lead councillor for transport, said he looked forward to when moving traffic enforcement such as fines for stopping in yellow box junctions and speeding fines would be included in the annual report.

He said: “These reports contain a huge amount of detail broken down to every street in the borough.

“Not every street in the borough has had the benefit of a parking ticket being served but many have, and they testify to the level of enforcement that we bring to our parking schemes and restrictions.

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“Besides the moving traffic offences which we lobbied long and hard for and eventually got, and will be included in next year’s report, I look forward to the day this similar report will also include details of speed enforcement offences as well.”

Reading Borough Council won powers to enforce moving traffic offences last year, but is unable to fine drivers for speeding, a power which lies with Thames Valley Police.

Cllr Page also stressed that the council is required to follow an appeal process which it is required by law in the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Reading Chronicle | Town Centre