Residents call for action over travellers

5:47pm Friday 29th August 2008

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RESIDENTS are calling for prompt action after around half a dozen traveller caravans invaded a Cryers Hill field for the second time this year.

The travellers set up camp on land at the junction of Hughenden Valley Road and Cryers Hill Lane on Thursday, causing fears that rubbish might be left at the site for a second time.

Hughenden Valley Residents Association, which represents homeowners in the area, is calling on the council to take action to remove the travellers quickly.

In May around 20 travellers' caravans set up camp on the same site - but were moved on in less than a week. Environment officers cleaned up rubbish left behind, including human faeces.

Dory Morgan, chairman of the association's planning sub-comittee, said she had contacted the county council and police after worried householders had telephoned her about the arrival on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

She said: "We are looking into it and working on it. I think most people get cross because it's our taxes that pay to clean it up and the valuable time spent to move that but that's life unfortunately.

"I think mainly its the mess they cause and the unsightliness."

She added: "The role of the residents' association is to protect and serve the residents and any concerns they have.

"We also believe in protecting the land around us especially the precious AONB and green belt."

Councillor Richard Pushman said he was hopeful of the same outcome due to an article four' planning condition, which prevents the land being used for anything other than agricultural purposes.

He said: "We have to have some serious thought about what we can do to prevent it happening again, unfortunately that piece of land is inviting.

"The county has a responsibility for travellers and groups. They have got rights as well as we have got rights."

Jospeh G. Jones, chairman of Thames Valley Gypsy Association, said lack of available sites meant travellers in the county had started to use new areas to stop.

He said: "If people are concerned about the potential for rubbish being left behind they should have a word with the county council.

"What forward thinking liberals do they provide them with a skip that travellers can put their rubbish into.

"The problem a lot of gypsies have is the type of vehicles they drive they will often be refused access to the rubbish dump."

Thames Valley Police spokesman Carley Sparrow said: "A neighbourhood inspector issued papers on Thursday night with local policy and rules and regulations of what they are allowed to do while they are on the land and seeing what they intended to do while they were there."