Derelict vehicles

I refer to the letter Abandoned Cars (September 3).

The Valletta local council would like to inform the public that, during the past few months, more than 12 derelict vehicles were removed from different areas in the capital. Some areas can be defined as chronic areas with people just abandoning vehicles on the street.

The vehicles that were taken away had been abandoned in St Anne Street, Fountain Street, Is-Sur ta' Sant'Antnin, St Joseph Street and Triq il-Lanca.

It is to be noted that there is a procedure which the local council has to follow before removing such vehicles. The police must first investigate if the abandoned vehicle has been registered as stolen and the council can only act after the police have taken initial action of placing a notice on the vehicle's windscreen giving the owner eight days to remove the vehicle from the street.

If the owner fails to turn up, which happens in the majority of these cases, the council will make the necessary arrangements with a towing agency to remove these vehicles, at its own expense.

This has become an illicit practice by unknown persons who dispose of their vehicle at the expense of the council.

The vehicle referred to in this letter is in this process and will be towed in the coming days.