Eleven vehicles failed to make it through the emission tests out of a bulk of 9,600 text messages reporting polluting cars to the transport authority.

Between January and September, Transport Malta received 9,664 text messages (on SMS number 5061 1899) reporting vehicles allegedly belching out black smoke, a parliamentary question revealed.

From these, notices were sent out for 171 vehicles to be tested, a spokesman for the transport authority said. Of the 171 vehicles which had been reported, 104 passed the emissions test, 11 failed and 56 did not turn up.

The spokesman said that, when a vehicle failed to pass the test, the owner was issued with a fine and a follow-up appointment was sent to ensure the vehicle complies with the law.

For the 56 vehicle owners who did not turn up, the spokesman said if they missed a second appointment a restriction was imposed in their database preventing them from renewing the road licence until their car passed the test.

The scheme, through which people can report cars visibly emitting more exhaust than they should, was launched in 2005.

It got off to a roaring start and by the end of the year over 41,000 SMSs had been sent.

However, things turned sour when a report tabled inParliament by the auditor general in July 2009 revealed the transport authority had not processed 70,000 SMS reports made since the beginning of 2008.

According to another 2012 report by the audit office, the number of SMS reports received from the public dropped by 74 per cent between 2008 and 2011.

However, the spokesman said the system was “still considered to be effective” and pointed out that the authority had followed up all text messages.

“To clarify, all text messages that have been received since the scheme was launched have been followed up – even if there was a delay in 2009,” the spokesman said.

A breakdown of SMS emissions sent by month:

January – 766
February – 908
March – 1,224
April – 1,251
May – 1,061
June – 955
July – 1,196
August – 1,099
September – 1,204