Motorists wrongly fined up to £357,000 by a council for 11 YEARS

A council has apologised after wrongly fining motorists for 11 years to the tune of £357,000.

Reading Council has urged drivers to come forward to be reimbursed after 6,136 penalty charge notices - PCNs - were issued dating back to 2013.

The fines were wrongly issued for breaching traffic regulation orders (TROs) in regards to parking contraventions in the city.

Local authorities can apply for a TRO to regulate traffic and parking in their area. They are legal orders which grant permission for the enforcement of road and traffic management schemes such as speed limits, vehicle restrictions and parking controls.

The errors were discovered after a staff member for Reading Borough Council reported a defect on the East Reading Red Route earlier this year. Other affected areas were then identified.

Any driver fined in error will be able to reclaim their money through the council's website from Wednesday 16.

Any motorists who have been subject to debt recovery processes due to the fines will be contacted by the council personally to inform them that they are eligible for refunds with interest and advising how the repayment will be made.

Refunds will be repaid within 28 days of the claim date. 

The areas affected include Red Route East including Kings Road from its junction with Watlington Street to Cemetery Junction, Wokingham Road and partially into adjoining streets, from 11 – 15 January 2018 and after 11 July 2018 – 6 March 2024.

Drivers are also eligible for refunds for PCNs issued in respect of Waldeck Street between 1 March 2016 and 29 September 2021 and PCNs issued in respect of Swainstone Road from 1 March 2016 and 4 June 2024. 

On Red Route West, the affected fines are for 13 PCNs issued between 18 May 2018 – 24 May 2018 over a seven-day period.

PCNs will also be refunded for the '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, on or after 9 August 2015 until 7 June 2024. 

The final TRO is for the 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, for PCNs issued on or after 8 November 2013 until 7 June 2024. 

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.'

Explaining the errors found by staff, a Reading Council spokesperson said: 'Some Traffic Regulation Orders were not made permanent after an initial experimental period and others not made in accordance with correct procedure. 

'The East Reading red route was an Experimental Traffic Order which was made in January 2018 which should have lasted for 18 months. The first six months of the experimental order was to be a consultation period. 

'However, when the Order was made, it was only made for six months, despite it being advertised as an 18-month Order. When the Order expired in July 2018, enforcement continued.

'A wider investigation was then launched to review whether there were further issues with TROs and a small number were found to be incorrect.'