CALLS to set up a task force to review street parking regulations have been rejected by councillors.

Astley Bridge councillor John Walsh made the bid at full meeting of Bolton Council this week, arguing that strict rules and “over zealous wardens” were harming businesses in Bolton.

He asked councillors to consider amending the current rules to allow free on-street parking during off-peak hours, or giving limited free parking for 40 minutes at a time.

But he lost a vote by councillors after a block vote by Labour councillors, defeating the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and UKIP who supported the amendment.

Cllr Nick Peel, who is in charge of environmental services at the council, highlighted the free car parking initiative already in place in the multi-storey car parks, which he argued was better than the “chaos” of a limited free system of street places.

He said: “We do already offer some free limited parking, but we do not accept that there are economic arguments for a major expansion of this as what shops need is a regular turnover of spaces for their customers.”