Thousands of fines have been handed out to drivers for stopping on a Red Route in Reading.

The route, introduced in 2017 to speed up journeys across the town for the number 17 bus, is set to become permanent.

A Red Route is a ‘no stopping’ restriction which has been used on major bus routes in London for many years.

Double red lines run along the route, which is between Tilehurst and Wokingham Road (The Three Tuns).

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Reading Borough Council (RBC) has received nine requests to change the restriction.

One person said: “It is a stupid, ridiculous and ill thought out idea which is causing our church a number of problems.

“There is a single red line outside the church which means no one can stop there but we have elderly people who need to be dropped off at the church gates and picked up there.”

Another said: “I consider that this was a waste of time and money.

“To my knowledge there never has been a significant problem with parked vehicles delaying the no 17 bus in the new Tilehurst Red route.”

Councillors will decide at tonight’s Traffic Management sub-committee whether to keep the scheme.

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A comparison of time taken by the number 17 bus route on three days in 2018 and 2019 suggests the red route has reduced travel times on the number 17 bus by an average of around 1 minute.

The council said the samples “show promising benefits” but it is too early to make a meaningful assessment.

2,249 penalty charge notices have been issued to drivers since the trial Red Route was put in place.

A large majority, 1,761, were caught on Oxford Road.

259 were caught on Norcot Road, 221 on School Road and eight on Park Lane.

Enforcement has initially focused on drivers pulling up and stopping on the footway.

Drivers caught stopping on the Red Route can receive a fine of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.