Travellers told to move on in Titchfield - Hampshire

From the Western Wards Gazette Travellers were this afternoon (April 20) due to be told to move on after pitching up in Titchfield. A Gypsy travelling encampment pitched up six caravans and touring vehicles at a car park near the recreation ground in Mill Lane last Friday. Travellers told to move on from a car park in Titchfield Fareham Borough Council enforcement officers have been granted a court order by Portsmouth County Court to repossess the council-owned land, meaning police will tell the Travellers to move off the land. Police have been monitoring the site and no incidents of anti-social or threatening behaviour have been reported. But Sean Woodward, leader of the council, said the Travellers will be served notice to move on for trespassing on the land and causing a disruption to residents. He said: “Their trespassing has now become a criminal matter and they have to be removed. We’ve got a zero tolerance attitude to people trespassing on our land. “It’s a constant problem we have which is why I’ve been to government ministers and said face-to-face with the prime minister that it should be made illegal. “If it was the police would be able to deal with it straight away instead of it taking a week and we wouldn’t have to go on with this palaver of going to court. “That’s still a week too long for the local people who pay their taxes and wish to use the recreation ground. “It’s a major inconvenience and it’s intimidating for the residents. It should not be able to happen!” He added that the order had been granted not just for that car park’s land but for the whole of the Titchfield area. Police said there were also a number of Travellers who had set up on Tynefield Caravan Site in Concorde Way, Segensworth – which comes under Winchester City Council jurisdiction – and that there were fewer than 10 caravans on each of the sites. PC Jackie Wild from Park Gate Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “We’re keeping heavy patrols on both sites and are monitoring any changes. “Whenever we get Travellers on site we increase patrols in the area.” Cllr Woodward added if the Travellers do not move on a court bailiff would come and “forcibly” remove them. He also said he did not believe this incident to be linked with travelling groups pitching up in Mill Lane last August.