Later this month, West Berkshire Council will start charging residents £25 for a permit so they can park in the narrow streets around Craven Road, but recently admitted it doesn’t have the staff to enforce the scheme.

Highways managers are trying to persuade Thames Valley Police to employ a part-time traffic warden to issue fines until full-time parking wardens are approved in council budgets in April.

West Fields is the test bed for an initiative to stop workers dodging £10 a day car park charges by parking in sidestreets around town. The next stage will be rolled out in April 2007.

Although 27 per cent of residents in West Fields don’t have a car, those in Russell Road, Berkeley Road, Craven Road who do have complained that rail commuters, office workers and shop assistants clog up the streets, making it difficult for fire engines, bin wagons, and ambulances to get about.

At a recent meeting of the parking and transport group of Newbury Town Centre Management, council officials said they expected a deal with the police to be struck by the end of January.