Traffic tickets being issued for cars ‘for sale’ parked on streets, sidewalks

AMMAN — The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Monday said it has started issuing tickets for private cars parked on the sides of the road and on sidewalks around the city.

Raed Haddadin, the head of the construction monitoring department at the GAM, said cars offered for sale and parked on public streets “pollute” the overall atmosphere, taking up space from streets and the sidewalks, which impedes the access of pedestrians, in addition to the fact that it constitutes “practising an unlicensed job”.

Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji had commissioned the department to set a fine for private cars parked in public areas, the fine will depend on the parking location and whether it obstructs the movement of pedestrians, according to Haddadin.

Roads where many cars with “for sale” signs are parked hindering the movement of pedestrians and motorists include: Cairo Street, Suleiman Bin Khalifah Street, Medina Munawara Street, Mecca Street, University of Jordan (Queen Rania) Street, Istiqlal Street, the King Abdullah II Street, and Shafa Badran, he told The Jordan Times.

As for private cars abandoned in some areas near sidewalks in the capital, Haddadin said the municipality has been working on impounding thousands of cars, due to the “dangers” they might pose, in addition to the pollution they cause.

“Those cars have also become a place for the homeless or ‘suspicious’ acts,” he said. 

“We are currently working with the Criminal Investigation Department to find those who abandon their cars to hold them responsible for their actions.”

In November, Haddadin said a total of 1,100 abandoned cars had been removed from the streets in 2016.