TOWN hall bosses are to challenge a ruling that declared parking fine notices in Bury were not valid.

The decision has been described as "bizarre" by Radcliffe motorist Roger Macarthur, whose appeal against a parking charge notice led to the adjudication.

Mr Macarthur, of Riverside Road, had his ticket overturned on the grounds that the wording was incorrect.

The 42-year-old had parked deliberately in Market Street, Bury, so that he could be issued with a fine and make the challenge.

His appeal to the National Parking Adjudication Service was successful last week.

Adjudicator Terence McNeill found that Bury's penalty charge notices did not comply with relevant sections of the Road Traffic Act 1991.

Mr McNeill concluded that a technical failure to specify a date from which the fine should be paid rendered the notices invalid.

Last Friday (25), an emergency meeting was held involving Bury's borough engineer Mike Cannon, along with transport, parking and legal staff.

Council solicitors decided the best response would be to challenge the decision, with the wording on tickets to remain in place.

Mr Cannon said: "After taking legal advice, we believe that the adjudicator's decision is incorrect and we have been advised to challenge that decision by way of Judicial Review.

"In the meantime we will continue to deal with inappropriate parking through the issue of penalty charge notices in the same manner.

"We will look at the wording to ensure that it is not ambiguous but are quite adamant that it does meet the legal requirements."

Mr Cannon said that, to date, he was unaware of any further appeals to Bury Council on the same grounds as Mr Macarthur.

Mr Macarthur said that, since last week, he had received 14 enquiries about the matter from other motorists who had received fines.

He said: "I find it bizarre that they would waste more council taxpayers money contesting the case."