It raises about £7bn a year for the government.

Unite the Union said it was trying to secure higher pay for the parking wardens, but Modaxo - the company that Reading Borough Council outsources parking enforcement to - was "refusing to negotiate".A spokesperson for Modaxo said Trellint, the UK business for the Canada-based company, was "actively working" to resolve the dispute.

The parking wardens, who also, are currently paid £12 per hour.Unite said this was "significantly lower" than what they would be paid if they were employed directly by the council.

"[Moxado] is a huge multinational conglomerate making billions in revenue and yet sees fit to penny-pinch and pay poverty wages to our members in Reading," said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.A council spokesperson urged motorists to continue complying with parking regulations during the strike, adding they were "in place for the safety and wellbeing of all road users".

"Parking enforcement is still taking place in Reading during the strike periods, albeit at a reduced level," they said.

"Penalty Charge Notices will continue to be issued as required.""We face a triple environmental crisis," Ms Martin explained ahead of World Refill Day on 16 June.

"Climate change... pollution and waste and biodiversity loss, and plastic has a part in all of those, because it comes from the fossil fuel industry, it's being found in the stomachs of our fish and sea birds and it's also littering our streets.Speaking about what her charity is asking of political parties, she added: "During this election year, everybody's got a lot to talk about and voices around the climate emergency are being drowned out.

"The research we do shows people are frustrated with the amount of single use plastic in the shops."They want to buy reusable and refillable products but can't find them, and there are businesses trying to meet that need, but at the minute, the whole system is set up to favour single use.