A man is expected to appear in court, accused of posing as a parker in Valletta, harassing drivers and causing damage to signage.

A spokesman said that Transport Malta had received “numerous complaints on this individual”.

“He is not a parker and does not hold a Transport Malta tag. Transport Malta officials asked him several times to leave the area to no avail. The authority, through the Police Commissioner, instituted two court cases against him, yet he persists in ignoring court orders,” the spokesman noted.

He persists in ignoring court orders

“Transport Malta takes reports seriously and is clamping down on parking-area-related illegal activities. In fact, it will take court action against two other individuals in connection with similar offences in other public parking areas,” he added.

Irked drivers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the person presented himself as a Valletta parker, mainly in the area of South Street.

They said the man insisted on payment, at times as much as €3.50, and harassed and insulted those who refused. They said they also noticed that signs about free parking erected by Transport Malta were often vandalised. The signs clearly state that tips are not allowed, as the area is a controlled vehicular access (CVA) zone, which means drivers are automatically charged a fee when they enter Valletta.

The drivers also complained that the man operated a system whereby motorists who paid more and left their car key with him were given priority.

In recent years, the Times of Malta has reported extensively on car park attendants harassing motorists, and others who posed as parkers without being in possession of the Transport Malta tag.

Reports of drivers being harassed and parkers demanding payment continue to reach this newspaper.

Read: Pressure mounts to get rid of car park attendants

Read: Transport Malta clamping down on abusive parking lot attendants

To report abuse by car park attendants, call Transport Malta on freephone 8007 2393.