Concerns that loud, repetitive music is being pumped into town centre car parks in a bid to drive vulnerable rough sleepers onto the streets have been dismissed by the council.

Residents and homeless charities have raised fears that Wycombe District Council resorted to “insidious” measures to force people out of High Wycombe’s multi-storey car parks this week – as temperatures plummeted below zero degrees.

The news comes just days after it was revealed the number of people facing a “housing crisis” in the district is on the rise, with volunteers placing the blame on benefit cuts and the lack of affordable housing.

However, council chiefs – who have also previously been slammed over talks to introduce a £100 fine for rough sleepers – have insisted they only aim to create a better “ambience” in stairwells and ensure the premises are kept “clean and safe”.

Distressed motorists told the Bucks Free Press that there are still growing concerns the council are using “evil tactics” to force some of the most vulnerable members of the community out into the cold.

In the past, national homeless charity Crisis hit out about an increase in spikes, noise pollution and other “hostile measures” to deter homelessness in public spaces.

Jon Sparkes, Crisis chief executive, said: “It is a sad indictment of how we treat the most vulnerable people in our society.

“Rough sleeping is devastating enough without homeless people having to endure such hostility from their surroundings.

“Councils, developers, businesses and other proponents of hostile architecture need to think again about the obvious harm these insidious measures are causing.

“People who are forced to sleep rough need access to the appropriate help, not to be regarded as a problem to be swept under the carpet.”

Of more than 450 people surveyed across the UK in December, 20 per cent reported suffering from deliberate noise pollution such as loud music or recorded bird song and traffic sounds, making it hard or impossible to sleep.

Bucks Free Press:

When quizzed by the Free Press, WDC said it was conducting a trial to play music in multi-storey car park stairwells to give customers a better experience.

And local charity, Wycombe Homeless Connection (WHC) has admitted it is a difficult decision for the council, who have to address the needs of all residents.

Sheena Dykes, chairman of trustees at WHC, said: “It could be a mistake to assume that the nuisance was due only to individuals sleeping rough. In our experience, most rough sleepers don’t cause a problem.

“I’m sure that anyone that did try to sleep rough in the car parks would find the music annoying. Right now, it’s less of an issue for the people who were sleeping rough in town, because mostly they are in our night shelter.

“This gets people out of the cold, but more importantly gives them some stability to work with our staff towards getting off the street for good.”

A WDC spokesman said: “Many people who use the car parks have said they expect us to keep the premises clean and safe, while many people have also told us would like us to discourage people from using the car parks as shelters for rough sleeping, which we know is a sensitive issue.

“The music played in the car parks throughout the day and the evening may discourage people from using the car parks as a shelter – however, the council’s aim is to offer practical advice and help so people will not be sleeping rough in the first place.

“Our excellent housing team works tirelessly to help anyone facing homelessness.

“They can provide support and advice for anyone at risk of losing their home and, where appropriate, can help to find alternative accommodation.”

For more information about the council’s work with homeless people and other agencies, visit www.wycombe.gov., call 01494 421212 or phone the emergency out-of-hours number of 0800 999 7677.