Taunton park and ride site reopens after weekend traveller closure - Somerset

From This Is Somerset

A park and ride in Taunton closed after it became occupied by Travellers has reopened this morning.

The Taunton Gateway Park and Ride site was occupied by a large number of families of the Gypsy travelling community on Friday evening.

On Saturday a joint decision was taken by the owners, Somerset County Council and the operators, Webberbus, to close the site to shoppers and commuters.

But the council has confirmed this morning that the site has now reopened.

“We have families with children as young as five living in an area where buses and cars are manoeuvring about. It is obviously a dangerous environment and we therefore have to close down the site,” said county council Cabinet member David Hall of Saturday's decision to close the site.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause but hope people will understand that there is nothing we can do in these circumstances.”