Council asked to step up security at Riverside Nature Park after travellers set up camp - Dundee

From the Courier

Dundee City Council is considering stepping up out-of-hours security at Riverside Nature Park to prevent Travellers setting up illegal camps.

West End Councillor Fraser Macpherson said he has been in discussion with the council's environment department and said officials are looking into the possibility of increasing security there.

The move comes in the wake of a group of caravans, vans and other vehicles which arrived at the recently opened beauty spot on Monday.

The Travellers have now been given 24 hours to leave and should be moving off the car park today, with the promise of police assistance to the council if required.

Mr Macpherson said: ''Free access to the car park in the late evening or the middle of the night is not sensible and I've spoken to senior officers at the environment department and they are looking into this.

''It's an issue they're going to have to deal with in the near future.''

It is thought lockable barriers may have to be erected.

A city council spokesman confirmed the authority had taken swift action to remove the travellers.

Councillor Macpherson added: ''I'm very pleased the council has taken the action so quickly. I don't know why the travellers seem to want to camp illegally.

''It's not that anybody is anti the travelling community, Dundee City Council provides a very good facility for them at Tealing and the housing officer tasked with liaising with them will ensure they are made aware of that."

He added: ''Since opening a year ago, Riverside Nature Park has been a very popular and well-used facility. It's a very positive thing for the community and we really do need to ensure there's better out-of-hours security for the car park there.

''The whole car park has been taken over quite illegally, to be frank. Not only is it not legal but it means people who want to visit the park can't get there.''

A number of residents voiced concerns about the camp due to its proximity to the airport and previous incidents where travellers left campsites strewn with rubbish and litter.

A spokeswoman for Tayside Police said the force had not received any direct complaints about the Travellers but added that they would support the council in their legal proceedings.

''We will liaise with the council and if circumstances change we will take it from there,'' she added.

Riverside was home to another illegal camp 18 months ago, when a large group set up 20 caravans and 12 other vehicles at the Riverside Business Park.

After being served with an eviction notice from site owners Welcome Estates Ltd, the travellers left the site under police supervision — only to pitch up again on the other side of the road at the Technology Park.