ONE week after arriving on site, travellers have vacated an illegal encampment on the Appleton and Grappenhall Heys border, with local MP Andy Carter pledging to push the Government to introduce law changes.
The Warrington South MP, who visited the encampment while pushing for speedy action to remove it, says he will be urging the Government to introduce proposed new law changes outlined in February 2019.
Meanwhile Warrington Borough Council, who despite earmarking £2m towards the cost of an official traveller transit site in the town and have so far failed to come up with a location, have been cleaning up the site.
Mr Carter said:“This type of situation highlights why we need both a change in the law and the council to finalise their plans for a traveller site in the Borough”
“Police need the additional powers to move illegal encampments without lengthy and costly legal processes, I’ll be pushing Government to introduce these measures when we return to Westminster in September.”
Five caravans arrived at the site at the junction of Lumb Brook Road and Witherin Avenue last week and were joined by two other vehicles at the weekend.
Meanwhile traveller problems are still going on elsewhere in the town with an illegal encampment at Poole Park, Orford, which has been making life a misery for local residents, with noise and late night parties foing on into the early hours.
Local Cllr mike Hannon said: “People’s lives are totally disrupted and people are living in fear behind closed curtains with music blasting out, banging all to the early hours of the morning.
“Local families with children cannot use play equipment in Poole Park because the travellers threaten them.”
