A car rental company which angered Santa Luċija residents a few months ago when it took over a site used as a car park, rubbed salt into the wound on Tuersday when its cars were also parked on a public road.

Princess Operations, owned by Christian Borg and operating the Maltese franchise of Sicily by Car, had taken over the car park on lease from the local football club.

But on Tuesday, its cars were also parked on the adjacent streets.

It is illegal to use public parking spaces for rental cars unless the vehicles are in use.

"The whole street was filled with them, people had nowhere to park,” an irate resident said.

Transport Malta (TM) and police officers went to the site in the afternoon and the cars were removed. 

The Santa Luċija council and residents are unhappy with Princess Operations and the town’s football club, which decided to lease the car park to the rental company. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

A TM spokesperson said the cars were removed by the owner, except for one that was towed by officials due to violations.

“Fines were issued for 10 cars for illegal street parking,” the spokesperson said.

Santa Luċija mayor Charmaine St John, who had reported the issue to the authorities, said she was “outraged” that the operators had occupied Oleander Street and part of Garden Street with their rental cars, some of which had expired licences. Some vehicles did not even have number plates.

She later thanked the authorities on behalf of the council.

Last September, the council said it was pressuring SportMalta, the government's sports agency, to ensure that all cars belonging to the rental company were removed from the parking area which the council had originally handed to the football club.

The PN’s two councillors also filed a judicial protest demanding the termination of the lease agreement.

SportMalta subsequently warned the Santa Luċija football club that it would take legal action if it continued leasing the land, which was meant for sports use.

Christian Borg is facing charges of money laundering and tax fraud.  

He was also arrested last year and charged in connection with an alleged botched abduction.