A man who 'briefly stopped outside a kebab shop' has been left shocked at receiving a hefty parking fine while visiting Reading - despite claiming no signs indicating any restrictions.

Edward Moore and his wife Helena Kennedy regularly return to Ms Kennedy’s hometown of Reading to visit her elderly mother.

Last November they visited on a Friday night and dropped by the Hala Lebanese takeaway on Wokingham Road.

The pair said they parked on the pavement to await one of the shop's parking spaces to become vacant and Mr Moore went in to order the takeaway before the couple drove off then drove off.

A fortnight later the pair received a letter from Reading Borough Council (RBC) for 'stopping on a red route or clearway'.

Mr Moore said: “Surely stopping off on the road or the pavement is allowed, especially when trying to park? I submitted my representation that there has been a 'procedural impropriety' when interpreting the photo, that I'm not on a red route.”

At the start of this month February 2024, He received a response in which RBC stated that the area where the couple "parked" was subject to a 'No Stopping Restriction' and 'this was clearly indicated by the double red lines marked on the roadside'. Adding 'the public have a right of way on foot over this section of the Highway and therefore the PCN was correctly issued'.

“So, is waiting off-road by a parking space for it to become free now an offence? I hope not,” Mr Moore said.

Adding: “Was the car blocking pedestrian access? Not based on their own photo. Are there any signs warning drivers?

“Apart from the red lines, there are no signs. Do the public realise these restrictions? Probably not. And will innocent members of the public be charged? If they act like this again definitely.”

Mr Moore said that he feels Reading Borough Council is taking advantage of people not understanding the parking situation possibly to make money.

“A lot of innocent people could be caught unaware by the rules. Very few people will suspect they will be issued a PCN, hence we intend to fight these charges and appeal."

A spokesperson for Reading Borough Council said: "Stopping on red routes is prohibited under the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA 2004) except in designated parking bays.

“We would also emphasise the red lines on a designated red route apply from the centre of the carriageway to the edge of the property, which includes pavements and verges, which is additionally stipulated in the Highway Code.

“The Highway Code also says that motorists generally should not park on the pavement as it can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams and pushchairs.”