Parking attendants drive motorists round the bend

Parking attendants are overstepping their duties to insist that drivers pay unnecessary fees to use free parking spaces, an exercise by The Sunday Times shows.

If these people are collecting €2 from each car parked every day then that could easily add up to over a €1,000 each week

Following reports that parkers around the island were intimidating drivers into paying them, The Sunday Times visited several sites on Friday.

There are currently 58 parking attendants licensed by Transport Malta to operate at specific sites across the country. Drivers are under no obligation to pay parking attendants anything, but parkers are permitted to accept gratuities.

In a near-empty car park at Għajn Tuffieħa, the parking attendant served little purpose, but this did not deter him from asking people for money as they arrived or headed for their cars after spending time on the beach.

As The Sunday Times car made for the exit, he walked out from the kiosk and motioned for it to stop.

“Do we have to pay?”

“Yes please,” was his response. He then joked that the fee was “a million” before accepting a euro.

Close by at Golden Bay, the busy parking attendant said, “You must give a donation.”

At Sliema Ferries there was no ambiguity about the fee. Since the car park was full, the parking attendant asked for the keys so he could park the car himself, and said the price was €2.

Unlike the Għajn Tuffieħa parker, the Sliema Ferries attendant was certainly busy; he was constantly walking around, collecting €2, directing cars and parking them when a spot in the large car park became available. He even had a young man – who was not wearing a visible Transport Malta photocard – helping him.

This is not the only spot where parkers insist on a flat €2 fee.

Michael Evans, a Briton who recently holidayed in Malta, claimed that a man emerged from the snack bar close to the main entrance to Mdina and asked him for €2 after he had parked.

He was shocked that he wasn’t given a ticket or receipt. Later that day, Mr Evans said he saw a different man asking drivers for payment in the same area.

“We are talking about only €2, but I would estimate if these people are collecting €2 from each car parked every day then that could easily add up to over a €1,000 each week. This money could go to much better use, like benefiting the town, and not lining the pockets of these unscrupulous people,” Mr Evans said.

The Sunday Times visited this car park and found a parking attendant wearing identification. The car park was full and he gruffly instructed the car to wait.

“Do we have to pay to park here?” we asked. “You must give a donation,” he grunted, before walking off to direct another car.

In the heart of Valletta, sandwiched between the Stock Exchange and the Office of the Prime Minister, a man without a visible identification card could be seen on Friday evening jingling change in his pockets, directing important-looking cars and collecting money. Do you have to pay to park there? “Yes, why not?” the man said. Asked how much, he replied: “€3, hurry, I have one space free.”

Parking attendants have been in the spotlight recently after Paul Grech, based in Marsamxetto Street, lost his legal bid to prevent Transport Malta from building a horse shelter on the spot where he plies his trade.

Mr Grech’s case provoked a flurry of comments online, with many timesofmalta.com readers sharing their own bad experiences with parking attendants and questioning the need for them at all. Parking attendants are not paid a fixed wage; their earnings are derived entirely from gratuities they receive, and they do not have to pay a percentage of their earnings to Transport Malta. They pay just €11.65 annually for their licences.

Parkers on duty must stay in the place they are assigned to by Transport Malta, and they must wear an official photocard in a conspicuous place at all times while on duty.

A spokesman for the regulator said: “Transport Malta is currently holding discussions with the representatives of the car park attendants with the aim of reviewing and implementing a reform in this sector.”

What are they there for?

A car park attendant is authorised to operate only in the car park or parks assigned to him by Transport Malta, and only during the times indicated in his licence.

The licensee is responsible for the cleaning of the parking site during the time he is operating.

A car park attendant is supposed to use care and diligence to ensure the orderly entry, parking and exit of vehicles in any car park under his charge, and to prevent all thefts from, or damage to, such vehicles. He should write down the registration number of any vehicle involved in a collision or other incident at such car park, and report the particulars to the police.

Every person making use of a car park should comply with the lawful signals or instructions of the attendant in connection with the entry, parking and exit of the vehicle.

No person should park a vehicle nearer than 750mm to the side of another vehicle and car park attendants shall ensure that this provision is complied with by drivers.