Calls for Travellers to leave Cotlands Road car park - Dorset

From the Daily Echo

FED-UP drivers have been calling for Travellers to be removed from car parks and are claiming they should not have to pay with the caravans there.

In the latest encampment, two separate groups of caravans, cars and also a mini-digger moved into the Cotlands Road car park near Bournemouth railway station.

And while the Daily Echo visited, a council ticket warden was witnessed driving into the car park and turned around next to the Travellers but was not seen checking for parking tickets.

Charmian Pearce, 29, who works nearby, said she had nothing against the Travellers but felt it was unfair asking everyone else to pay up when they were there for free.

“I’ve not put parking on my car today,” she said.

“I was paying and then I thought what’s the point?

“If they’re not giving parking tickets to them why would they give one to me.”

Charmian said she had seen the Travellers sweeping and tidying up after themselves at Cotlands Road.

A group of women visiting from Christchurch to have lunch in Bournemouth said they were “absolutely horrified” when they saw the Travellers as they parked.

“They come here and they don’t pay anything,” said one of the women, who asked not to be named.

“We were disgusted when we came in and found all the Travellers.

“We couldn’t believe it.”

One of the Travellers, Stephen Smith, said they were visiting the town as one of his family had died in hospital there.

“The body is being taken away and then we’re leaving,” he said.

He said the two different groups at the car park did not know each other, and that he normally lived on land in North London.

Another from the group said the men carry out tree clearance work while they are here.

Janie Murphy, from the second group, said she was also leaving as the car park was too dangerous for her young children and called on the council to provide a temporary site.

She said she normally lived in Essex and had been at a different car park in the town before moving to Cotlands Road.

“We need somewhere like a temporary site,” she said.

“We’ve been waiting for the weather to improve.”

• Margaret Leslie, parking services operations manager at Bournemouth Borough Council, said it was working with police and other agencies to deal with the situation.

She said: “Casual users of the car park should continue to pay for parking as usual as normal parking enforcement remains in operation as with all car parks across the borough.

“Permit holders who are unable to find a space can contact parking services on 451268 who will advise them where spaces are available nearby.

“All permits will be honoured should the holder have to park somewhere else temporarily. “We appreciate the frustration and the inconvenience caused by the arrival of the Travellers but there is a legal process to follow to remove travellers from a site and their arrival does not mean motorists can avoid paying to park.

“The council is continuing to monitor and work with all agencies to get a swift resolution to the matter.”