Updated 00:17 Thursday 23rd November 2000
Travellers

Police have moved to evict travellers from the East Herts District Council Depot in Mill Road, Hertford.

Travellers evicted

Seventy officers, many in riot gear, were involved in the operation that started shortly before 8:00am on Wednesday morning. Four police vans, seven cars, two dog units, a range rover and three large recovery vehicles descended on the Mill Road depot after notices were served on Tuesday under section 61 of the Public Order Act.

Thirty caravans occupied the site of the proposed cinema at 6:30pm on Sunday. A handful of caravans also occupied the adjacent Stenoak Tools site the following day. Both groups of travellers had been evicted from Marsh Lane in Ware and Glaxo's car park.

The action followed a statement recently by Chief Constable Paul Acres that police would get tough with travellers who illegally trespass on private land. "When the settled community is exposed to unacceptable behaviour we will take swift and positive action" he said.

Caravans on the site of Steneak Tools in St.John's Street were parked less that 5 metres from residential properties and electricity generators were running all night, keeping residents awake.

A spokesman for residents of St.John's Court said that noise and security had been the greatest concerns. He said "We have been in touch with the District Council, the police and MP Bowen Wells. It was time for the police to turn their words into action and evict the travellers as quickly as possible". He went on "we have always been aware that the site could be the target of travellers and these fears have now been realised. We are grateful to the police for taking such a strong line in this case and dealing with the matter quickly and effectively".

For more pictures click here.

Background

East Herts has suffered a spate of occupations this year, although the problem goes back alot further. Travellers occupied land at Archers Green for many months in the mid-nineties, leading to numerous complaints from residents in Bentley Road.

Whilst trespass is often considered a police matter in these cases, the offence is a civil one and it is therefore up to landowners to pursue the issue through the courts, which can take time.

Where damage occurs on a site, it is often hard to identify those responsible without firm evidence.

Travellers are now considered a legitimate minority group under the Human Rights Act which means that they cannot be discriminated against.

Whilst many local authorities provide permanent traveller sites, there is no legal obligaion on them to do so and East Herts provides none. Hertfordshire County Council's social services department have a gipsy section that offers advice and support to travellers.

The issues surrounding travellers and how to address them require a co-ordinated approach by all those involved, including the police, social services, local authorities and groups representing travellers. Chief Inspector Dave Thompson, who is head of police operations for the district, recently told The Hertfordshire Mercury "It is time for the politicians to decide the nature of the problem and whether to change the law or provide services to deal with it".