"Extortionate" parking fees on a road bordering Reading and Wokingham councils has been drastically reduced following pressure from Wokingham and Earley Town councillors and residents.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) introduced a £10 a day charge in 2017 on Pepper Lane.

In April, Norman Jorgensen, who was then leader of Earley Town Council, called for RBC to reduce its street car parking fees on Pepper Lane.

RBC has now reduced the daily charge from a maximum of £10 to £3 for RingGo app users and parking for 30 minutes is free except for the 20p ‘convenience charge’.

A maximum £10 fee still remains for pay and display machine users.

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) does not charge anything on neighbouring streets and has scrapped the ‘convenience charge’ – a service charge for RingGo users.

Pauline Jorgensen, WBC councillor for the neighbouring Hillside ward in Earley, said “The £10 parking fee was causing a lot of inconvenience to residents in neighbouring Earley, as people parked in residential roads, sometime blocking drives and parking dangerously on corners, to avoid the charges.

“I would like to thank RBC for taking this step to reduce the charges for Ringo users and ask them to now reduce the price for cash payment as well.

“Since the reduction, the metered bays have been better used and I expect the RBC income will have increased as well, as a result.

“WBC have now scrapped the RingGo convenience charge. Maybe RBC could follow suit?”

Cllr Jorgensen – whose husband is former Earley Town leader Mr Jorgensen – set up a petition calling on RBC to reduce the charges in May.

Mr Jorgensen is no longer a councillor after losing in Hillside at May's local elections in Wokingham.

A RBC spokesman said: “In common with all areas where the council has recently introduced pay and display parking bays we routinely review charges.

“A recent review of the scheme in Pepper Lane has resulted in the introduction of a discounted £3 all-day rate being offered to customers paying for their parking using the RingGo facility.

“The charges have not changed for customers paying at the pay and display machine.”