COUNCILLORS have approved a controversial scheme to charge residents £30 for first parking permits outside their own homes.

 Reading Borough Council used to give out the first permit per-household free-of-charge, but a series of new rules were officially accepted yesterday.

The authority can now charge residents £30 for the first parking permit in residents' parking only zones. Number crunchers think they could rake in between £357,000 to £552,000 per year.

Sections of the town have been blighted by parking problems in recent years, including the roads surrounding Royal Berkshire Hospital and the University of Reading.

Speaking at the time of the proposals, Cllr Tony Jones, Redlands' ward councillor, said: "A lot has changed since Reading’s Residents’ Parking Permit scheme was first introduced 40 years ago.

"As demand for parking continues to grow, more and more households are asking for their streets to be included in residents’ permit zones to allow them to park near to their homes.

“The level of demand means it is no longer sustainable to issue first vehicle permits free of charge, which is why we are recommending a charge is introduced to cover enforcement and administration costs.

“The review has also identified a number of other areas where changes could be made, including expanding the areas which could be considered for inclusion."

Other approved changes include managing parking permit requirements online, increased enforcement of permit zones and giving some schools more parking permits than others.

Cllr Tony Page added: "There were more than 26,000 permits issued in Reading last year and we know that demand will continue to increase with more houses and former offices being converted into flats.

“The residents parking scheme was first introduced in 1976. While there have been a number of changes to it over the years, this important piece of scrutiny was long overdue in light of the increasing demands on limited parking spaces in Reading."

An alternative suggestion to increase the cost of second permits, leaving the first for each home free was not supported. The cost of second permits would have soared to more than £240.