BUSINESS chiefs are joining forces in a bid to put the brake on Bolton's parking wardens -- who they claim are driving people away from the town.

Representatives from more than 20 businesses are forming an alliance in a bid to force council chiefs to introduce a more "lenient" parking policy. They are also calling for a reduction in parking charges.

The business leaders say they are "sick and tired" of being booked when discovered to be only a couple of minutes over time.

Leading the fight is Malcolm Pickering, owner of the Four Seasons Sandwich Bar, on Bridge Street, Bolton.

The 56-year-old has already threatened legal action against Bolton Council after being given two tickets in the last two months, during times when the town centre was quiet -- one of them at 9.30pm.

He is being joined by Peter Martindale, manager of AMKO Foods Factory Shop, on Shiffnall Street, Bolton.

Mr Pickering said: "Every week shoppers and traders come into my sandwich shop with a tale to tell about parking wardens.

"Not only is the price of parking putting people off, they are annoyed that they are being booked just for being a couple of minutes over time.

"All councillors are bothered about is sticking humps in the road." Mr Pickering usually parks his car on the multi-story car park, but often finds it difficult to carry the trays of food he needs to his car when he has a catering job. When he parks outside his shop, the traffic wardens come out.

Mr Martindale said he suffered the same problem: "At one time, wardens were reasonable. We'd tell them we were just unloading stuff and they'd tell us they would come back later.

Jim White, of damage limitation company One Call, off Spa Road, Bolton, said: "We've been having problems for ages and while the traffic wardens are more lenient with us now, it's only after a year of battling with them."

Only last week a survey revealed Bolton was at the top of a business "graveyard league" for the percentage of companies which went bust in 2001. Astley Bridge councillor Stuart Lever (Con), a businessman for 15 years, put some of the blame on the parking problem.

His sentiments were echoed by Oliver Seymour, director of Gordons of Bolton. He said: "Because of the parking problem in the town we get people leaving their cars on our car park and walking into the centre."

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: "This group has yet to contact us so we are unaware of the specific issues they wish to raise.

"However, we are always happy to hear from individuals or businesses if they have a matter they wish to raise with us and the same goes for this group."

We're all suffering from the parking wardens in one way or another."

The association is due to be set up within the next month.