George F. Said told this newspaper: “We would like to make it clear that the Trade Fairs Corporation only manages the official car-park right in front of the fairs venue. It also rents a field at the very back of the grounds which is reserved for exhibitors.

“All other parking facilities, be they in fields or in playgrounds, are managed by third parties and the corporation has absolutely no jurisdiction over them,” he said.

He said the corporation cannot exercise control over third party property, nor can it control what price is charged or the parker’s behaviour, dress-code or attitude. As for its own car park, large notices indicate that the charge is of 25 cents and routine sporadic checks are made to ensure there is no abuse.

“One letter to the editor commented about the tents which were erected this year to accommodate the ever-present demand for more stands within the fair.

“The corporation would like to confirm that all permits are in order with the Mepa and although no condition was ever set as to the provision of parking facilities, out of its own initiative and at a cost of thousands of liri in coach rental and back-up advertising, a Park & Ride scheme has been launched this year,” he said.

Mr Said explained that the Park & Ride scheme is being operated from the Tat-Targa roundabout in Mosta and runs right through the peripheral roads to Naxxar. “People simply park their cars along these wide roads and are picked up from marked points along the way. Whoever has used this scheme has had very positive comments as to the efficiency, courtesy and timely running of the coaches,” he said.

Mr Said said coach drivers were instructed to start their rounds at maximum intervals of 10 minutes and this measure resulted in a large number of cars being taken out of the seemingly interminable queues.

“Although the take-up was not so encouraging in the first week, it has been more encouraging in the second week and the fair organisers are determined to go on educating the people to use this alternative free, efficient and time-saving method of getting to and from the International Trade Fair,” he concluded.