Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia Ella Pamfilova addressed to Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin with a request to conduct additional studies related to the parking and towing-away situation in Moscow.

In her letter of appeal, the Commissioner mentions the importance of the focused campaign being held by Moscow authorities to improve the city traffic. At the same time, she underscores that the analysis of the drivers’ legal rights and interests violations shows that the problems arising when misparked cars are towed away should be solved.

“Car owners are complaining that free parking near central schools and hospitals turned to a paid one. In addition, restrictive signs are put even in blind alleys,” the letter says. The letter also gives examples of improper actions by the tow-away services, including those having sparked a public outcry.

“As the applicants’ complaints show, unfortunately, the tow-away measures have failed to achieve the socially useful objects: we have the same number of parked cars and there is still heavy traffic in the streets,” the letter underlines.

To ensure implementation of the rights and legal interests of car owners, the Commissioner suggests conducting additional studies related to the arrangement of the official and individual cars’ parking, by means of park-and-ride facilities as well, and the problems of misparked cars’ towing-away.