MOTORISTS who were caught on camera driving along York's Coppergate will have to wait another day to discover whether they may get their fines refunded.

The national Traffic Penalty Tribunal yesterday failed to deliver its long-awaited verdict on City of York Council's appeal against a ruling last Spring that the council had no power to fine drivers for breaking the daytime ban on cars.

The tribunal's Chief Adjudicator Caroline Sheppard said on Monday she would not issue the decision until after next month's council elections but then changed her mind on Wednesday, following criticism from a motorists' watchdog, and a tribunal spokesman said then that the result would be issued yesterday.

However, yesterday afternoon, the spokesman told The Press: “I have just received word from the Chief Adjudicator that due to unforeseen circumstances she has been unable to issue this decision today.

"Unfortunately that means the decision will not be sent to the parties until tomorrow morning.

"I am unsure as to the exact reasons for the delay, other than the Chief Adjudicator has been unavoidably detained on another matter. I have been assured it will be issued tomorrow.”

Acomb motorist Nigel Rhodes, whose appeal against a fine for driving along Coppergate sparked the tribunal's original investigation and ruling, said he was told at 1.30pm yesterday he would be receiving the decision during the afternoon but was then contacted later to be told of the additional delay.

He said the extra wait was frustrating, adding: "It just seems to go on and on and on. This should all have been sorted a long time ago."

A spokesman for council leader Dafydd Williams, who has previously criticised the delays, said yesterday: "We've nothing to add at this stage but obviously will do as soon as a decision is made public."

The council, which has set aside £387,000 in case it has to refund Coppergate motorists, could still go to the High Court for a judicial review if it loses its appeal.

The tribunal's bombshell decision last spring on Coppergate also applied to Lendal Bridge, which led to the council ending its ban on cars crossing the bridge and its later refund of thousands of motorists' penalty charge notices for breaching the ban.