Reading Borough Council apologises for incorrectly issuing 6,000 parking fines
Reading Borough Council has apologised to more than 6,000 motorists for incorrectly issuing parking fines over a number of years.
The council discovered the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on sections of the East Reading Red Route and some parking restrictions in other locations are unenforceable.
A total of 6,136 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were incorrectly issued and paid primarily between July 2018 and 2024 with some dating back to 2013.
The council says drivers who have paid these penalties will be reimbursed costing the authority an estimated £357,000.
For motorists that have been subject incorrectly to a debt recovery process, the council says it will contact individuals directly, telling them how the repayment will be made with interest.
Jackie Yates, Chief Executive, Reading Borough Council
Jackie Yates, Chief Executive of Reading Borough Council, said: "I sincerely apologise to all motorists and residents who have been affected by these errors and urge them to visit the Council’s website so that we can reimburse them.
"We have made the reimbursement process as easy as possible for people who have been wrongly issued with penalty charge notices, whilst ensuring we have appropriate verification checks in place.
"Parking enforcement action was suspended as soon as the Council became aware of the specific TRO issues and further action is being taken to ensure that the circumstances which led to this situation don't happen again.
"On behalf of the council, I sincerely apologise to motorists for the distress and inconvenience caused."
The errors came to light when a member of staff reported a defect on the East Reading Red Route.
A wider investigation was carried out to review whether there were further issues with TROs and a small number were found to be incorrect.
Motorists who think they have been incorrectly issued with a PCN can claim a refund via the council’s website from Wednesday 16 October following agreement of the scheme by the council on Tuesday 15 October.
The areas affected by the errors across different time periods are listed below:
Parts of Kings Road and Wokingham Road between 11 – 15 January 2018 and after 11 July 2018 until 6 March 2024 (4,911 PCNs)
Waldeck Street Resident Permit Parking Scheme between 1 March 2016 and 29 September 2021 (375 PCNs)
Swainstone Road Resident Permit Parking Scheme between 1 March 2016 until 4 June 2024 (643 PCNs)
Red Route West, between Tilehurst and West Reading, between 18 May – 24 May 2018 (13 PCNs)
Southcote Verge and Footway Parking ban area (including the whole lengths of Southcote Lane, Ashampstead Road, Brunel Road, Circuit Lane, Frilsham Road, Gainsborough Road and Virginia Way) between 9 August 2015 until 7 June 2024 (109 PCNs)
Tilehurst and Kentwood Verge and Footway Parking ban area (including Church End Lane, Lower Elmstone Drive, Mayfair, Norcot Road, Oak Tree Road, Overdown Road, Park Lane, Recreation Road, School Road, The Meadway and Westwood Road) between 8 November 2013 until 7 June 2024 (85 PCNs)
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