ALL motorists fined for crossing Lendal Bridge during its controversial closure are to finally be told how to get their money back, it has been announced.

City of York Council officials plan to write to everyone who was fined, to tell them how they can claim a refund.

The council cabinet will be asked next week to approve the move, in a bid to finally end the long-running saga over repayments, but it will cost another £150,000 of taxpayers' money.

Officials have warned against an alternative option, of automatically repaying those who were fined, due to legal complications. There had been fears that the council may be open to accusations of giving away money, leaving it open to legal challenge.

The council initially said it would repay only those who proactively asked for a refund, but new council leader Dafydd Williams said the council would go further.

York Press:

>>> FLASHBACK: 10 reasons why the Lendal Bridge trial failed

 

Officials have now drawn up several options, but recommend writing to all fine recipients telling of the reclaim procedure.

More than 50,000 fines were issued on the bridge but so far only 12,512 have been repaid, according to the council website.

The deadline for reclaiming the fines will be extended until the end of 2015, subject to cabinet approval.

Neil Ferris, the council's assistant director of transport, highways and waste, said officials had taken account of a motion passed at a full council meeting last month.

Next week's cabinet meeting is at 5.30pm on Tuesday. See the full agenda here.

The council closed Lendal Bridge to private traffic from 10.30am to 5pm every day from August 2013 until last April. The council sought to reduce congestion and pollution, but the project was plagued by controversy and there was widespread criticism of the way it was handled.