Starting in March 2026, Reading Borough Council will introduce a borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to curb persistent anti-social behaviour such as unsafe e-scooter and e-bike riding and street drinking. The council says there will be a soft launch focused on education and engagement from 2 March 2026, with the PSPO due to come into force on 24 March 2026.
The council will work with Thames Valley Police on enforcement across the borough, including in places such as Forbury Gardens and Prospect Park. The PSPO provides for a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) as an alternative to prosecution (a prosecution can lead to a maximum fine of £1,000). Reading Borough Council has made clear that officers will take a measured approach: staff will initially engage with and warn people found breaching the order, and an FPN will be issued only if an individual continues to breach after being asked to stop. The order targets behaviours including on-street begging, street drinking and the anti-social use of e-scooters and e-bikes.
Reading Borough Council described the period from 2 March as a “soft launch” during which staff will focus on explanation and warnings; formal enforcement powers and penalties are scheduled to start on 24 March 2026. BBC News reported the council’s plan in November 2025 and noted that the authority expected to give warnings before issuing fines.
The Reading Neighbourhood Watch Network is acting as a community liaison to help ensure the changes reduce crime rather than simply displace it. The borough-wide PSPO follows a public consultation (July–September 2025) in which residents said the dangerous use of e-scooters and e-bikes was a top concern and 88% of respondents supported the proposed conditions.
Cllr Karen Rowland, Chair of the Community Safety Partnership and Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said the rules are intended as a problem-solving tool rather than a way to punish vulnerable people. The council has stated PSPO powers will be used against people who beg only when they are persistent, are in suitable accommodation and refuse to engage with support offered.
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