Matthew Xuereb
Councils instruct wardens not to fine motorists
At least two local councils that erected unauthorised traffic signs have instructed wardens not to issue fines against motorists who do not comply with the instructions on the signs.
St Paul's Bay mayor Graziella Galea and Sliema mayor Marina Arrigo said they had directed wardens not to continue fining motorists in relation to the signs which were put up without the approval of the Malta Transport Authority.
The Sunday Times last week reported that local councils were erecting illegal traffic signs, which led to several motorists being fined for parking lawfully.
The ADT confirmed that a typical illegal sign directing drivers to park their vehicles with the front bumper facing the pavement, which have sprouted up in localities like St Paul's Bay and Sliema. The ADT said these were advisory signs, and as such they could not be enforced by traffic police or local wardens.
Ms Galea said the issue was discussed during a North Joint Committee meeting, and it had been decided to instruct wardens not to issue fines to motorists who reverse into the parking slot. She was not in a position to say how many fines had been issued.
Ms Galea said the ADT recently wrote to her council with a list of signs and road markings which it considered illegal. The 'park front bumper to pavement' sign was not included in the list. The council acted at once and rectified the signs.
Ms Arrigo confirmed that her council had also stopped wardens issuing fines - those that were still dished out afterwards were "a mistake". She said the Sliema council had written to the ADT over these signs but no reply had been forthcoming.
"If the ADT tells us to remove them, we will, but these signs are just advising people to park facing the buildings. We are asking motorists politely. They are surely not there to raise money," she said.
Sources had told this newspaper that the ADT did not have enough personnel to check all the signs that have been put up by councils.
Moreover, it only investigated whether a particular sign was irregular or not after receiving a formal complaint from a disgruntled motorist.
Ray Grima, the authorised officer responsible for the Local Councils North Joint Committee, confirmed that those who ignored the 'park front bumper to pavement' notices "were not let off scot free".
When asked how many people were fined and whether motorists could claim a refund, Mr Grima insisted on questions being sent by e-mail. No replies were received by the time of going to print.
A legal expert said that according to the law, local councils and tribunals could not reimburse motorists once a fine had been paid. Motorists could only receive a refund if they took the council to court, which would end up being a more costly exercise than the fine itself.
Meanwhile, it is understood that St Julian's council is taking corrective measures on the loading and unloading bays on the roundabout outside the Hilton in St Julian's as well as other illegal reserved parking bays.
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Stephen Borg Cardona
Oct 23rd 2010, 18:18
Birkirkara local council, wake up please, the "unloading bay" in triq il Kbira is being used by the owners of the shop adjacent to it as a reserved parking slot.
D.Galea
Sep 16th 2010, 16:40
Mediaeval Malta as usual. Warning signs are supposed to come in an equilateral triangle to differentiate from other types of signs such as prohibitory and mandatory signs which are usually of circular shape, even a toddler would be able to tell the difference if one is taught about it. Clearly the authorities including wardens need to review their traffic regulation manual before putting up such confusing signs on our road and possibly endanger our lives apart from our pockets.
C.Camilleri
Mar 15th 2009, 17:06
If these traffic signs are illegal what is stopping the authorities concerned from removing them and taking legal action against those responsible? How are motorist to know which signs are legal or not legal?
john fenech
Mar 15th 2009, 13:00
Good manners are always a must but safety is of paramount importance at all times. The Highway Code regulations 201-202 strictly forbid that vehicles be reversed onto the main road. Therefore signs which call for the driver to reverse the vehicle onto the main road must be removed.
Another danger is the stop signs at minor roads leading to the main road. Most often than not if the vehicle is behind the stop sign the line of sight to the main road is obstructed by:
1) Parked vehicles(at times in marked parking bays)
2) Waste bins
3) Shrub
Therefore it is mandatory that all obstructions will be removed at this intersection to provide a safe passage to the drivers. Or were conditions dictate otherwise traffic mirrors must be installed to provide a view of the road conditions to the driver.
While most of the Loading/Unloading bays or yellow lines are favoring the few at the expense of the many. For instance the loading/Unloading period is for 7 hours a day 6 days a week, which in most cases is in excess of the business requirements! But provide constant cash revenue to the Local Council from parking tickets!!
Joseph Schembri
Mar 15th 2009, 12:57
This is real news to me: so Mayors can instruct wardens on who and who not to fine! When some years ago I was walking in Hal Safi and I called the Safi mayor to report illegal dumping that I could see going on at the moment and to send wardens to the spot - he was more interested in asking me who I was and told me that he had no power in asking wardens where to go.
Joe Camilleri
Mar 15th 2009, 12:05
how are we going to differentiate between the unauthorised traffic signs and the authorised traffic signs
Neville Calleja
Mar 15th 2009, 11:40
Indeed - I have to pay a CCTV fine for parking on the dedicated taxi rank outside St Luke's Hospital - which space has been empty for the past 15 months.
How about refunds?
ceri whitley
Mar 15th 2009, 11:33
I think the point to be clear on here is that anyone fined by wardens for not complying with an advisory sign should not pay the fine.
When the person is taken to court by the council for not paying the council knows it will lose the case and have to pay the court costs.
so, to repeat, do not pay the fine in the first case......
F. Fenech
Mar 15th 2009, 11:01
If I do anything illegal, I am fined.So why are the councils not fined too? it seems that local councils are above the law and do what pleases them. especially when it comes to raising funds. A fine example is our Swieqi council.
L..Galea
Mar 15th 2009, 10:07
What about refunding the fines to those drivers who were ILLEGALLY fined because of these ILLEGAL signs?
It appears that everything is done ILLEGALLY in Malta by all authorities.