Bosses at Sheffield Council are pouring cold water on the hopes of those who have already have been fined and were hoping they would be reimbursed.

Thousands of drivers have been snapped since the cameras at Hillborough Corner became operational, with each being fined £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

But the National Parking Appeals Service (NPAS) has ruled the signs at the tramgate don't conform with regulations and the council shouldn't collect any more fines until they are altered.

Now drivers who have already paid up are calling for their money to be paid back.

David Curtis, interim executive director of development, environment and leisure, indicated the council was not prepared to start writing any cheques soon.

He said: "I am not a lawyer but I understand if you are outside the period in which you can appeal then that is the end of it. It only applies if you have appealed."

But the authority's reluctance to cough up may be tested in the courts.
Paul Bangert, the 43-year-old from Wisewood, who brought the action to the NPAS and won, said he will go to court to get his money back if necessary.

Paul, of Studfield Road, claimed he was told by a council lawyer that if he had already paid a fine, it was "tough."

He said: "I asked them before the appeal hearing when I could get my money back. They said 'Tough, you can't have it back.' They said it was my fault for having paid it in the first place. But I am not stopping here. I am looking at taking legal action in court. They are taking money off people willy-nilly. By law they should pay it back."

All fines collected at the tramgates in the run-up to the appeal were set aside - in case they had to be paid back.

Council chiefs say it will be at least two weeks before the busgate is back up and running. And they are crossing their fingers in the hope the situation at Hillborough Corner doesn't revert back to the huge snarl-ups seen before enforcement.

Mr Curtis admitted the council didn't know what would happen in the interim while enforcement is lifted.

"The busgate is not illegal," he said. "What they are saying is that there should be markings on the road. We don't want to encourage people to go through the gates and then have a problem later. We are not going to be fining people but those who drive through will still be committing an offence. The police still have the authority to stop people."

Highways chiefs are now discussing what road markings are appropriate.

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