Travellers set up camp on Air Festival's disabled parking site

Three motorhomes are parked at Monkey Island on East Overcliff Drive.

Council officials seeking to evict the travellers are unable to bring their application before magistrates until tomorrow - a day after the air festival started.

However, event organisers have reassured visitors that there will still be access for people with disabilities at the site.

Andy McDonald, Bournemouth council’s head of parks, said: “Both the parks and events teams are aware of the unauthorised encampment on the East Overcliff and the earliest possible date of Friday has been secured for the court hearing.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Air festival director Jon Weaver said: “At this moment in time, we can still provide a disabled parking facility in this space.”

Ward councillor Anne Filer said: “The council has to obey the law, but that’s not to say that it isn’t extremely annoying and unfair.

“Most of us can’t just pitch up at the cliff top and set up camp, much as we’d like to."

Cllr Filer said traveller encampments are “very, very costly” to the council.

“We need the government to listen to us about travellers.

“The law needs to change so this type of situation can be dealt with more quickly.

“They say we need a designated traveller site but we just don’t have the available room."

In Poole, three separate groups of travellers have established camps in some of the town’s most popular public open spaces.

Fifteen caravans, one motorhome and associated vehicles have moved onto Turlin Moor Recreation Ground, Hamworthy.

Meanwhile, a small unauthorised encampment has been established at Poole Park, near Copse Close, which includes two caravans, a motorhome and tents.

There are also six caravans at Baiter, close to the public car park at Catalina Drive.

Directions orders have also been served on all three unauthorised encampments, with court time booked for later today.

Poole resident John Perry, whose home backs onto the small encampment at Poole Park, said: “We are worried about our safety at night. It is a shame Poole council is sitting on its hands over this.

“What a shame they have now invaded Poole Park - a lovely part of the park where mums and children play in safety on a green free of cars or any motor vehicles. Now there is a caravan, cars and tents occupied by travellers.

“They light fires in the evenings snapping branches off of the surrounding trees. A large burnt part of the green is ruined and covered in debris. Rubbish is stacked nearby.”

Legally, Borough of Poole (BOP) can issue direction orders, then go to the courts to secure eviction notices - which they are in the process of doing.

Normally, the travellers leave within hours of any eviction notice being served.

Turlin Moor resident Wendy Waylen, who lives in flats close to the recreation ground, said she’s already been threatened by one of the traveller children, after she and her husband chased off some other youngsters - believed to be part of the same camp - from a neighbours garden.

“I know this is old news and happens up and down the country, said Wendy “But I think it is time councils did something to stop them.

“We have witnessed more arriving with work vehicles and diggers that we wouldn’t be allowed to park legally in the car park adjacent to our block.

“They have new large cars and caravans which means they could probably afford to stay on a purpose built campsite.

“Poole council has provided them with portable toilets and rubbish skips - our taxes pay for these freeloaders. It is so frustrating.”

A council spokesman said: “Direction orders have been served.”

'Councils need more tolerance towards travellers' 

A COMMUNITY leader has urged councils to act more tolerantly towards travellers.

Adnan Chaudry, chief officer of the Dorset Race Equality Council, said local authorities can save money by working with the travelling community.

“Councils can save more money by having a slightly more tolerant approach to some of the encampments, especially in these times of austerity,” he said.

“Some councils have temporary sites, which involves gypsy and traveller communities and the council drawing up a social contract.

“The councils will provide things like refuse bins and an agreement is made as to when travellers will move on.

“Recently, the council here has spent £158,000 on things like patrolling car parks as part of an attempt to keep travellers away.

“A social contract and temporary site would be a much more tolerant approach. Other councils have done it, and work successfully with gypsy and Roma communities.”

Comments have been opened on this story but please note: any reference to gypsies or any racially offensive term will cause them to be closed and you may find your account suspended. Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are legally recognised as ethnic groups, and protected by the Race Relations Act. Please keep your comments to this particular incident and do not generalise. Thanks for your co-operation.