Issuing tickets to owners of EU-registered vehicles committing a traffic offence could take days because wardens do not have direct access to the database, Times of Malta has learnt.

Sources familiar with the system in place said each time wardens spotted a contravention they would have to file a request for the relevant information to the transport watchdog and then wait before being able to issue a ticket.

“Such procedure is proving to be cumbersome and bureaucratic because, at times, a request takes days to be processed,” the sources said.

Although the system allowing access to an EU-wide database has been up and running since the beginning of last August, questions sent to Transport Malta on how many requests had been made by the police or wardens for information about vehicles registered in other EU countries remained unanswered at the time of writing.

In the past, EU-registered vehicles violating traffic regulations were going unpunished as there was no means to trace the owners. The issue had been addressed following the entry into force of a European cross-border enforcement directive.

While welcoming the development, the sources noted the EU database had not been integrated in the local system to the point of allowing the issue of traffic tickets on the spot.

“The system is a work-in-progress as Transport Malta is still discussing with the new warden agency regulator how wardens would have direct access to the database in the coming weeks,” they said.

In recent months. this newspaper received various complaints about cars with Libyan registration breaking the law with impunity in the Sliema area

Contacted for a reaction, both Transport Malta and the Justice Ministry, which is responsible for the local enforcement agency, insisted that the provisions of the EU directive had been implemented.

“Transport Malta is connected to a centralised EU database and information on EU-registered vehicles is available once requested. Such requests are made by the police or by wardens,” spokesmen for both entities said.

Questions sent in October about the number of cases flagged following the entry into force of EU Directive 2015/413 (on the EU-wide reporting system) remained unanswered.

Last July, this newspaper reported that no action could be taken on up to a quarter of all offences flagged by speed cameras because the owners of the foreign-registered vehicles were unknown to the Maltese authorities.

Various offences are covered by the EU directive, including drink-driving, failure to use a seatbelt or not stopping at a red traffic light, but illegal parking is excluded.

Of course, the directive does not apply to vehicles registered outside the EU. In recent months. this newspaper received various complaints about cars with Libyan registration breaking the law with impunity in the Sliema area. Callers also said reports filed at various police stations were useless.

The matter was also raised in Parliament by Opposition MP Marthese Portelli and Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said Transport Malta was holding roadside checks and was having talks to beef-up enforcement.

Mr Mizzi told Opposition MP Kristy Debono no data was kept on the number of African-registered vehicles circulating on Maltese roads.