SECURITY measures will be installed at a car park in Poole to deter travellers from setting up illegal camps there.

The council is taking action to secure Kingland Road Car Park, an area which sees the most unauthorised encampments of all borough-owned land. Nine have been reported so far since April 2017.

A height restriction barrier will now be fitted, extending over half of the entrance to the car park. This will be combined with a remotely operable, retractable rising kerb over the other half.

The latter mechanism is proposed to be operated by staff from the Dolphin Leisure Centre via an intercom or remote control. The whole scheme, including the installation of a power supply, will cost around £35,000.

Councillor John Rampton, portfolio holder for environment, said when residents reported a number of incidents of travellers camping in the car park “we recognised something had to be done”.

“Over the last year, the area has been used more by travellers. The council has a policy of putting in security measures in areas where protection has to be put in place. Baiter Car Park II and a car park in Turlin Moor are secured and these measures have deterred encampments.”

Cllr Rampton has approved the security measures after they were debated at an overview and scrutiny committee meeting in January. An alternative scheme put forward by residents local to Kingland Road was also considered. They proposed a permanent height barrier on one half of the entrance, with access for higher sided vehicles on the other half. However, these vehicles would have restricted access.

Although residents offered to assist with the funding for this proposed scheme, Cllr Rampton favoured the officers’ scheme.

“The residents’ scheme was more complex so we went with the proposal for movable barriers. I understand residents are happy with this,” he said.

In his report to Cllr Rampton, head of environment Ian Poultney warned that securing Kingland Road Car Park could encourage travellers to set up camp elsewhere.

“The proposed scheme will act as a significant deterrent against those who wish to establish overnight encampments on the surface car park. Previous schemes aimed at deterring unauthorised encampments, however, have resulted in dispersal to other high profile locations, and it is possible that this scheme will have similar effect.”

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