Police have been cracking down on anti-social behaviour and nuisance e-bike riding in Woodley town centre, but worries from residents remain.
Police have stepped up patrols in Woodley town centre to tackle anti-social behaviour, illegal e-bike and e-scooter riding, and shoplifting — but residents say worries continue.
Concerns about behaviour at the Woodley Precinct have been raised several times. Thames Valley Police say officers have been sent on patrol after reports, and 15 illegal e-bikes were seized last summer.
The activity was outlined during a police presentation at a Wokingham Borough Council meeting.
Local Command Unit Commander for Berkshire West Felicity Parker said: “Anti-social behaviour was starting to rise over the summer, particularly around e-scooters as well.
“So, we made sure we had high visibility patrols with our neighbourhood policing.
“Since we’ve been doing that, we’ve seized 15 e-bikes because they were causing anti-social behaviour and they were illegal.
“We’ve done lots of work in the schools as well with our new schools officers, and there’s more CCTV that’s been installed in Woodley.
Councillor Greg Bello (Labour, Loddon) said neighbours feel police patrols in the town are low, though he noted the ‘Woodley station’ at the Oakwood Centre reopened in 2024. Thames Valley Police clarified the facility is a base for the neighbourhood team and that crimes cannot be reported there — members of the public must report crime online or at Loddon Valley Police Station in Lower Earley.
Cllr Bello asked: “Local residents in Woodley have expressed concern that the level of police patrolling in Woodley Town Centre and Woodley in general as an area uh has gone down over the year, with low police presence. “Could the local commander please provide information on what operational arrangements are in place and how Woodley residents' concerns can be addressed, please?”
Chief Superintendent Parker replied: “You might not always see us, it depends where those hot spots are, but we are definitely working proactively in the Woodley area. The station has reopened which is very positive. “It’s not 24/7, but the PCSOs and the police constables who work for the Woodley neighbourhood team are stationed there and they start and finish there. “If there's some feedback from the community of areas where we should be going to, we can put that into our patrol plan and uh make sure that we are serving the people in Woodley.”
The police presentation took place at the full council meeting on 27 November 2025.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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