MORE THAN 50,000 fines were issued across Reading for bad parking over the past financial year.
Of the 53,550 fine, 48,355 were paid, while 5,195 were cancelled.
The figures were released by Reading Borough Council, along with a list of the 10 most popular roads for getting a ticket, known as a PCN. Fines are £50 or £70 depending on the nature of the offence, with a 50% discount if paid without 14 days of issue.
Statistics show that between April 2021 and April 2022, 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 is up compared to the previous year, with 34,541 PCNs in 2020/21 rising by 19,009 to 53,550 in 2021/22, but the period April 2020-21 will include lockdowns when the government advice was to stay at home where possible due to the early stages of the covid pandemic.
In all, 8,219 fines were issued in Oxford Road, which is streets ahead of Friar Street, Sackville Street, Vachel Road and Zinzan Street – all of which are located in the town centre, but have fewer than 5,000 PCNs between them.
Wokingham Road, which is also part of the same Red Route that Oxford Road is, has 1,527 fines dished out.
At the bottom of the top 10 is The Forbury, where meter parking exists. This saw 482 fines issues – more than one a day.
Despite the number of fines paid, the council spent more funds enforcing parking rules then it made in income.
Enforcing parking rules cost the council £1.73 million but raised it £1.68 million leading to a net cost of £59,782 – this is down from the £1.1m cost during the previous year.
The statistics were published and presented to councillors at a meeting of the traffic management committee on Thursday, January 12.
Cllr 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.
“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.
The 10 roads in Reading where the most fines are handed out
- Oxford Road – 8,219
- Friar Street – 1,826
- Sackville Street – 1,585
- Wokingham Road – 1,527
- Kings Road – 1,172
- Vachel Road – 1,174
- Zinzan Street – 1,132
- Cheapside – 867
- Castle Street – 686
- The Forbury – 482
