Leaving Your Number On Dashboard Doesn’t Mean You Can Block Someone’s Garage, Says Ombudsman

Think leaving your phone number on your dashboard makes it okay to park in front of someone's garage? Think again!

The Parliamentary Ombudsman has found that Transport Malta was incorrectly interpreting the law by suggesting that drivers could park in front of garages as long as they left a visible contact number.

The finding followed a complaint by a Santa Venera resident who repeatedly found his garage entrance blocked by vehicles belonging to nearby residents and customers of local businesses.

The frustrated resident explained that he often had to track down drivers himself or wait for them to return before he could enter or leave his garage.

To tackle the problem, he installed signs reading "Garage in Use 24/7", "No Parking" and "Tow Zone Area". However, Transport Malta ordered him to remove the signs in December 2025 because they had not been authorised.

During the Ombudsman's investigation, Transport Malta maintained that parking in front of a garage was permitted provided the driver displayed a telephone number.

However, the Ombudsman clarified that this is not what the law says.

Under Regulation 77(2) of Malta's Motor Vehicles Regulations, drivers cannot park or leave unattended vehicles in a way that prevents free access to a clearly marked garage that is in use.

In simpler terms, leaving your mobile number on your dashboard doesn't give you permission to block someone's garage.

While the Ombudsman agreed that the resident had no right to install unauthorised road signs, he criticised Transport Malta for failing to provide proper guidance or an effective solution.

The Ombudsman recommended that Transport Malta correct its interpretation of the law, inform its officials and coordinate with LESA and the Police to take action against illegally parked vehicles, including towing where appropriate.

However, the recommendations have remained unimplemented.

Have you ever had someone block your garage and leave nothing but a phone number behind?

#MaltaDaily