Spanish Police unable to tow illegally parked cars

A legal error contained within last month's changes to the Spanish Highway Code in Spain, has removed the authority of local police to remove any vehicles that have been illegally or badly parked.

Currently that law states that the local police are only able to denounce the offence, but they are unable to act on it. Any action to be taken against these badly parked vehicles can only be taken by the local Mayor as the authorised head of the local traffic department.

A further glitches in the wording of the new law also mean that the authorities in Zaragoza and Sevilla seem to be excempt from this anomaly.

Advice given by some experts to anybody who has found their car towed by the Police is to appeal, stating that the vehicle has been removed 'without adhering to article 85 of the trafic law'.