Authorities fail to agree on who authorises tow zones

Roughly between 3,000 and 4,000 vehicles have been towed away every year since 2001, with the number reaching nearly 1,500 so far this year, according to figures provided by the Home Affairs Ministry.

A spokesman for the ministry said that 969 tow zone tickets had so far been issued by wardens and 508 by the police in 2005.

In 2000, a mere 106 tickets were issued - 105 by the police and one by wardens.

But in 2001 the number shot up to 4,161 - 2,525 by wardens, 1,636 by the police.

It dropped slightly to 4,007 in 2002, when 2,419 tickets were issued by wardens, 1,587 by the police and one by the Malta Transport Authority.

The numbers were down by about 25 per cent in 2003 when 3,038 tickets were issued - 1,978 by wardens, 1,055 by the police and five by the authority.

But the figure went up again last year, reaching 3,470 - 2,381 by wardens, 1,087 by the police and two by the authority.

However, the ministry said there were no statistics on how many tow zones there were around the country.

There also appears to be considerable confusion among the authorities about who actually authorises tow zones, with The Times receiving conflicting versions.

When asked which authority establishes where tow zone signs should be placed, the Home Affairs Ministry said that according to the Clamping and Removal of Encumbering Objects - Traffic Regulations, it is the Commissioner of Police who is empowered to issue notices that indicate that vehicles parked in a designated area will be towed.

However, when asked whether a particular "tow zone" in St Julians had the police's approval, a police spokesman said it was not the police but the authority and local councils which authorised tow zones. This tow zone was not in front of a garage door or at a reserved parking bay, which qualify automatically as such.

A spokesman for the authority said tow zones were under the jurisdiction of the Police Commissioner and the local council.

And the mayor, in turn, declined responsibility for them.

Asked whether tow-zone notices were placed following consultation and if so with whom, the ministry spokesman said that in practice the Police Commissioner consulted all parties involved - usually the authority and the respective local council - before issuing one.

He explained that an official tow-zone sign must include the respective police station or contractor together with the telephone number that can be called in case of a towed vehicle.

"It is not unlawful for a person who owns a garage that is marked 'garage in use' to affix a tow-zone sticker on the garage door.

"The sticker is not official, it merely serves as a reminder that a vehicle parked in front of that garage can be towed," the spokesman said.

"Roundabouts, centre strips and reserved parking bays are also tow-zone areas."