On-street parking spaces for visitors and shoppers, but also for residents, are set to change in Wokingham.
Intensified ‘resident permit-holder’ zones will be implemented in seven roads across Wokingham and three roads in Twyford.
In some places, previous weekday restrictions applying during the daytime will now apply 24/7.
The changes will particularly affect shoppers, visitors to the town centre and people who are less mobile, but who do not qualify for disabled badges.
But the changes will also affect residents themselves.
A council source said there are many different views on the new regime.
Many residents have welcomed the right to buy second permits and visitor permits and the council is offering the standard two permits to homes of multiple occupation who were previously excluded.
But some residents have told us that the new rules are ‘drastic’ and ‘extreme’, and would not work for their families.
Helen Murphy, 38, a resident of Ormonde Road, has a residents-only regime Monday-Friday 8am -6pm and is opposed to the changes.
She said: “It’s a huge change that they’re implementing without any real need.
“We don’t have an issue as it stands. There’s never an issue with parking now.
“With the new rules it’ll be a significant cost to us.
“Most houses have two cars.
“For us, I’ve got a young family: childcare is a big concern because I’ll have to pay for a visitor’s permit.”
Under the new arrangements, Ormonde Road will be residents-only seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
A consultation on how the scheme would work closed last year and the new policy was approved by the council’s executive on 20 November 2025
Residents who do not have their own allotted space or a garage will be allowed to buy two parking permits, but if they do have their own space they will be allowed one, and if they have two spaces of their own they won’t be allowed any.
A first parking space will cost £55 and a second will cost £105.
Books of ten visitors’ parking permits will also be available and will cost between £12 and £50 for books of 10.
Councillor Adrian Betteridge (Lib Dem) said: “The revisions to the residents parking scheme have been made to help people living in areas with high parking demand, in response to concerns they raised.
“Roads are grouped into zones to help manage parking demand in these areas.
“The new policy, with many improvements to benefit residents, was adopted last year following a consultation on its contents.
“There is now a consultation underway on the specifics of how the newly approved policy applies in each area.”
If residents have any concerns for their area they should raise these via the consultation via the council’s Engage tool: engage.wokingham.gov.uk
