DRIVERS who have failed to pay fines incurred on Bromsgrove's car parks and who are hoping the district council has "overlooked" the offence, are in for a shock.

The authority warned this week it will eventually catch up with offenders - once a technical glitch had been ironed out.

Around 300 drivers who have not paid the £10 initial fee within seven days or the subsequent £30 fine and who now face prosecution have not received summonses because of a technical problem.

Before Bromsgrove District Council can begin legal proceedings it must ensure basic facts such as vehicle ownership are correct.

In order to speed up the process the council links electronically with a firm which has access to the records department at the DVLA in Swansea to obtain the information.

The faulty link, which goes back to the spring, has meant erring drivers have not been taken to court.

Yesterday, the district council's head of technical services, John Moody, said: "There has been a glitch with the system but it is being addressed at the moment.

"Those drivers who have failed to pay will be summoned in line with normal council policy in recovery of all debts."

About 90 per cent of drivers opt to pay the initial £10 fine, he added.

The council's cabinet is expected to consider a report examining all aspects of car parking.