Liverpool City Council is seeking to throw out a legal threat to its late-night parking changes.
Former councillor Alfie Hincks has spearheaded a campaign to overturn the controversial measure that ended the free on-street parking after 6pm.
The move, which was met with overwhelming public opposition of 90%, saw the previous cut-off period extended until 11pm from July last year.
Over 7,000 motorists were stung by the new changes within three months of the scheme taking effect in the heavily concentrated city centre areas.
More than a dozen businesses have backed Mr Hincks’ planned action as well as Cllr Carl Cashman, the leader of the local Liberal Democrats.
But the council has sought to have the case thrown out with the Local Democracy Reporting Service claiming a motion to dismiss has been lodged.
The local authority are understood to have argued that Mr Hincks’ claim did not comply with the procedural requirements for serving the action.
A council spokesperson said: “The council is confident that it has complied with all relevant legal requirements.
“However, we will not be commenting further on an ongoing legal matter.”
Mr Hincks, the founder of Seascope Maritime Training, has hit back at his ex-colleagues and claimed they are ‘desperate’ in refusing to pull the scheme.
He said: “These parking charges affect business coming in.
“The impact on the night-time economy is not acceptable.
“The council have painted themselves into a deep corner, we want our day in court. It’s desperate from them to not say let’s just pull it and review it.”