PAY and display charges are to be resumed at a parking area in Bury which earlier this year was the centre of controversy.

In April, Bury Council officials suspended the charging system on the area at The Wylde after it became apparent that an error had been made when the existing Parking Places Order was established.

In addition, it was felt a revision of the layout of parking spaces was needed.

Now, from this Friday, Aug 11, the current suspension of pay and display parking will be rescinded and the new parking bay layout will come into operation. The changes have seen the scrapping of four bays and a re-configuration of those which remain.

For two years until April, drivers who used the pay and display ticket machines on The Wylde were fined £15 for not parking their cars fully within marked bays. Town hall chiefs admitted the bays may not have been properly designed and therefore the council could have been wrong in handing out penalty notices.

The local authority launched an investigation after Westhoughton driver Bob Norburn complained about being fined because his car, parked behind Bury Parish Church, was outside the lines of the parking bay.

He claimed, however, the parking bay was too small for any vehicle other than a Mini, but his appeal was dismissed.

But the council then suspended the pay and display operations while acknowledging it should not have been charging people to park there.

It was also announced that motorists earlier fined would get a refund.

Bury Council's highways and traffic management committee chairman, Councillor Steve Perkins, said: "There was a certain amount of controversy when the error in the Parking Places Order was discovered and some rather exaggerated claims made about the number of motorists affected.

"We made it clear that if people did feel that they had been wrongly treated they should contact us."

He revealed: "In the event, only a dozen or so were found to have a legitimate claim and either refunds were made or fine notices cancelled. "

Coun Perkins stressed: "We just want everyone to be aware now that pay and display has resumed on this area of The Wylde.

"In the short term, notices will be posted to that effect to make sure that motorists are aware of the changes that have taken place. In addition to the revised layout of the parking bays, no waiting at any time restrictions have now been placed on the north side of the area."