A Labour-run authority has been plunged into fresh controversy after it admitted to finding errors in its traffic rules, which saw thousands of drivers fined incorrectly across 11 years.
The local authority had already admitted in October 2024 that it had incorrectly issued 6,136 parking fines between 2013 and 2024, with the blunder leaving the council facing potential refunds of around £357,000.
Now, while attempting to correct the original flawed orders, officials uncovered yet more mistakes in the penalty system.
The revelations were brought to light by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which found the council had stumbled across additional problems during the clean-up process.
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The council incorrectly issued 6,136 parking fines between 2013 and 2024
| GETTYTraffic regulation orders were meant to establish the rules for bus lanes, cycle lanes, parking restrictions and double yellow lines.
They gave councils the legal authority to enforce penalties. But in Reading's case, errors meant some fines were simply not lawful.
One of the most glaring fresh errors involved the London Street southbound bus lane. The order stated that hackney carriage taxis and cyclists were permitted to use it, even though the restriction had never been officially approved.
Another issue centred on town centre parking bays, where confusing typographical mistakes muddled the difference between "AM" and "PM" restrictions.
The council admitted to a penalty error, which saw drivers incorrectly fined for 11 years
| GETTYFurther mistakes were found in Durham Close, Whitley, where double yellow lines had been painted but never backed up by a TRO. That meant the council had no legal authority to penalise drivers who parked there.
Despite the catalogue of mistakes, the council insisted the latest discoveries had not resulted in any additional fines being wrongly issued.
Officials stressed that corrective action had already been taken in some areas. The yellow lines in Durham Close were removed, while the TRO covering town centre bays was updated to clear up the time restrictions.
Meanwhile, signage errors have also been fixed. But the London Street bus lane required a different solution.
Rather than remove the wording, the council proposed formally allowing hackney carriage taxis and cyclists to use the lane, claiming that had always been the intention.
A spokesperson for the council told the BBC: "We can confirm that no further penalty charge notices were issued as a result of these errors. We have already taken steps to resolve the issues where appropriate."
The revelations were due to be presented to the council's traffic management sub-committee this week, alongside a scheduled update on refunds and compensation claims set for September 25.
A public consultation on the London Street bus lane remained open until September 11, inviting residents to share their views on officially expanding access to taxis and cyclists.
Drivers were fined for using bus lanes, cycle lanes, parking restrictions and double yellow lines
| GETTYChief executive of the council, Jackie Yates, had already apologised publicly in October, saying: "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."
But the apology did little to calm public anger, with residents branding the council "scammers" on social media, with one furious driver demanding automatic refunds rather than expecting motorists to lodge claims.
Another driver complained that people were being asked to recall details of tickets dating back to 2013, accusing the council of ducking responsibility.
Critics also accused the authority of failing to properly manage its enforcement system. Local campaigners warned the scandal had damaged trust between the council and residents, with one describing the decade-long saga as "an absolute shambles."