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.