A specially adapted CCTV car operated by Reading Borough Council has issued more than 10,000 penalty charge notices, according to the latest parking services data. The white Peugeot, fitted with automatic number plate recognition cameras on its roof, detected 10,102 offences between 2022 and 2023.
The vast majority of fines, 9,659, were issued to motorists stopping on the red route, which was introduced in 2018 to improve bus journey times. The route prohibits parking at any time. Oxford Road saw the highest number of penalties, with 5,271 PCNs issued, followed by Wokingham Road with more than 1,000, Friar Street with 947, Blagrave Street with 558 and Kings Road with 347.
In addition, the camera car issued 329 fines for parking at bus stops and 114 for stopping on 'School Keep Clear' markings. The vehicle is programmed to detect only these three offences, meaning it cannot be used to catch drivers using mobile phones or committing other driving violations.
Motorists caught by the camera receive a £70 fine, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days. The figures show a fall of around 2,000 penalties compared with the previous year.
