Malta's warden system should be urgently overhauled despite the "cosmetic" changes introduced last year, the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, GRTU said. 

In a statement slamming the Local Enforcement System Agency (Lesa), the GRTU said wardens were issuing "senseless fines" and accused them of occasional "arrogance" in the way they dealt with delivery drivers and other motorists. 

"Even though parking abuse needs to be addressed, the lack of parking spaces and the related exigencies should not be abused of by wardens to issue fines irrationally," the GRTU argued. 

It went on to say that "parking for a few minutes in places where there is no inconvenience or obstacle should be allowed and guided by local wardens rather than fined".

The GRTU argued that the system should be reformed to educate first-time offenders and punish more frequent ones. Wardens needed further customer service and communication training, it said.

It also argued that enforcement should not be driven by the need to collect funds to finance Lesa. 

"Enforcement cannot be driven by the need to collect funds but rather towards understanding, educating and ultimately improving the situation. The goal is not to issue more fines, but to provide a better service to the community," the GRTU argued. 

The GRTU's complaints about wardens and Lesa come less than a week after the Gozo Business Chamber slammed wardens for their "irrational decisions" in issuing fines to motorists over Santa Marija weekend. Lesa has sought an "urgent" meeting with the Gozo Ministry to discuss the Gozo Chamber's claims. 

Lesa took on the role of enforcement regulator in September 2015. A parliamentary question answered last June revealed that wardens' fines had increased by 68 per cent since 2012.