Architects urged to only sign off Y-plate garage sites if they are public service garages

The Kamra tal-Periti is urging its members to ignore Transport Malta’s most recent regulations related to Y-plate vehicles and how they are garaged.

The changes were introduced in October, as the main amendments were aimed at operators who have five or more vehicles in their fleet, as these operators were required to keep garage their vehicles in a public service garage (commercial garage).

The architect lobby stated its disappointment in light of TM’s lack of consultation with the lobby prior to issuing the new legal notice.

“The planning policies to date make no distinction between the number of vehicles owned or garaged by an individual,” the Kamra tal-Periti stated. 

The lobby noted that the definition of a garaging facility in the legal notice is: “Any premises which is (sic) off-street and in which the parking or garaging therein of motor vehicles is permitted by the relevant planning authority permit.”

Therefore, members of the Kamra tal-Periti were urged to ensure that any declaration they sign in relation to light passenger transport services and vehicle hire services is covered by the required permit. 

This means that architects are urged to sign off on garage site plans only if the site in question is a public service garage, even if there are five or fewer cars parked within the site.