Decision made on controversial Reading street parking change

The council’s highways team proposed changing parking restrictions in The Mount from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm for a total of two hours, to putting restrictions in place from 8am to 8pm Monday to Sunday for two hours with no return.

Some neighbours said they never had problems parking on The Mount, and that restrictions could hamper the trade of the Progress Theatre located there.

However, others have said there were repeated problems parking outside their homes, both for themselves and health visitors.

READ MORE: Fears raised parking changes could devastate Reading theatre 

There was some relief that the Progress Theatre is encouraging patrons to use public transport and park in other roads instead.

Jill Simpson, supporting the changes, said: “Changes in restrictions are certainly not going to close the theatre.

“No positive reason for opposing the change has been put forward, since it’s been accepted the theatre won’t close.”

Previously, the Progress Theatre website stated patrons could park in The Mount, which has since been changed.

The Progress Theatre in The Mount, Reading. Credit: Google Maps

Meanwhile, Paul Bennett, who opposed the changes, said: “There are loads of places to park in The Mount.

“It’s not outside people’s houses, but that’s what you give up when you live in a terraced house with on street parking.”

The disagreements were aired at a Reading Borough Council traffic management sub committee meeting yesterday (Wednesday, June 15).

Ultimately, the committee voted to reject the changes, but monitor the situation and possibly come up with adapted proposals if required.

There was the accusation that the issue had been politicised, with cllr Clarence Mitchell (Conservative, Emmer Green)  voicing ‘grave concerns’ that a recent meeting hosted by Redlands councillors was not sufficiently publicised.

The meeting was attended by councillors David McElroy (Green), Kathryn McCann (Green) and Will Cross (Labour), and Rob White the Green leader of the opposition, and Park ward representative.

READ MORE: Meeting held on proposal to tighten parking restrictions 

Summarising the meeting, cllr McElroy said: “It was near unanimously agreed that it was not difficult to find parking on The Mount as a whole.”

Although it was acknowledged parking is more difficult in the lower Mount, it was felt the situation was not serious enough to warrant the changes.

Only cllr Mitchell voted for the proposed changes.

Describing what he thought it would take to reach a solution, cllr White said: “I think it’s focusing on residents working together collecting data so we’ve got an agreed view on what the problem is if one develops in future.

“It’s keeping an eye on the situation, and collecting data, in a way that everyone can agree on what the problem is.”

Expressing scepticism, cllr Mitchell said: “I think councillor White hoping that we can all live happily together and consult and agree on this is frankly a little naive.

“The tensions this has caused to residents in and around The Mount are obvious.

“There should be no winners and losers, it should be a compromise which is acceptable to all, but I think residents working together given the level of ill feeling is probably unrealistic.”

Previously, The Mount resident Niki Haywood raised fears a consultation on the proposals had been ‘hijacked’ by cloned responses and bots.

The point was picked up by cllr James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) who asked whether the council’s consultation process would be reviewed.

Cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) said he “sympathised” with the concerns, but any changes to the consultation procedure would have to apply across the council consistently.