New digital parking permits in force for Reading drivers

The council hope the digital permits will be easier for drivers to renew

Digital parking permits are set to replace the traditional physical copies currently displayed in vehicle windscreens.

The change will apply to drivers in Reading and the council hopes to it can be phased in over the next 12 months.

Residents will be able to use their current physical permits until they expire.

Reading Borough Council will send advice on how people can get a replacement digital permit.

The modernisation to the new Digital Residents' scheme was agreed by the council following a successful trial in Lower Caversham between November 2022 and April this year.

Councillor John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: "The user-friendly online system should make applying for, and renewing, parking permits easier and reduce waiting times for paper permits to be processed and dispatched."The existing physical residents' parking permits will remain valid until their expiry date and those who do not have access to the internet will still be able to use the existing system and display physical permits."

The council also hopes the new digital permits will help to reduce errors, such as permits being incorrectly displayed and cars parking in different zones.