Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1529778
20 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 NOVEMBER 2024 RENTAL cars not on lease are still illegally taking up residents' parking spaces in Gudja despite fines from LESA and Transport Malta. Last week, MaltaToday report- ed that Movis Car Rental, previ- ously known as Smart Car Rent- als, is occupying parking spaces in residential areas right across from Malta International Air- port. Following the story, MaltaTo- day asked the locality's district MPs for their reaction to their constituents' frustrations. All government MPs – min- isters Jonathan Attard, Byron Camilleri and Chris Bonett, and backbencher Katya De Giovan- ni – gave the exact same reply: "It is unacceptable for a private company to create a nuisance, in violation of the law, to the detri- ment of surrounding residents. We are informed that direct ac- tion was taken by both LESA and Transport Malta, and fines were issued." Transport Malta did not re- spond to MaltaToday's questions when asked about the enforce- ment action with a spokesper- son referring us to the Transport Minister's reply instead. TM did not answer whether it had inspected the car hire com- pany's premises and no explana- tion was given for the fact that the company was able to operate from a premises that does not in- clude sufficient garage space for its vehicles. Meanwhile, Mark Anthony Sammut, the Nationalist Par- ty's only district MP and a Gud- ja resident said that he cannot understand how the company was issued a permit to operate a business, which involves custom- ers picking up and leaving cars without having adequate garage space. "This has led to dozens of cars owned by the company being parked on the street, in public spaces, and sometimes even ille- gally on yellow-lines, in breach of these regulations, causing incon- venience and even danger for res- idents and vehicles passing from the area," Sammut said. He noted that the same compa- ny had been evicted from Malta International Airport due to its bad reputation with customers. "At the time, the company oper- ated under a different name, and as a local councillor I communi- cated with Transport Malta to take enforcement action. After weeks this abusive behaviour was at the time stopped," he ex- plained. Meanwhile, Gudja residents' efforts to reclaim their streets continue to be frustrated by a company that disregards the community in which it operates, although the number of illegally parked cars has decreased. Rental cars still cause nuisance for Gudja residents despite fines MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt