Twenty or more gypsy caravans have set up an illegal encampment on Brown Lane East in Holbeck. Large stones that were put across the road by the council to act as bollards after the last encampment there have been moved to give access to the lower section of the road. As can be seen from the photograph the caravans are parked on the roadside. Would local residents be allowed to park caravans permanently on roads outside their houses?
Regarding action to get the gypsies moved away, Joanne Kemp from the West Yorkshire Police stated yesterday that
“The court date is either Tomorrow or Wednesday ………. It is fully expected that the travellers will move the night before this is due to be heard at court.”
Where will be the next unfortunate neighbourhood to experience the pleasure of their company? South Leeds be aware.
Holbeck regularly has to put up with such encampments. Why can’t the gypsies also go to other parts of the city too (e.g. Adel, Alwoodley, Roundhay). Is it because they get less hassle in Holbeck and other parts of South Leeds? It is time the government took action to prevent ordinary people from having to put up with this.
For the benefit of someone who doesn’t live in Holbeck can you clarify what issues the travelers are causing in the area?
Some of the issues with these encampments: flytipping, blocked road, blocked pavements, anti-social behaviour, noise – generators operating at night-time, intimidation, dogs roaming, dog-mess, human faeces, abuse.
I don’t live near a “gypsy encampment” but i have issues with fly tipping, noise generators at night time, dogs roaming, dog mess. Either “Gypsies” or rather the travelling community are hiding in someone’s garden or these people are not the sole blame for things going wrong.
Betty,
Your comment made me smile as I wondered who’s hiding in my back yard!
Mind you, I used to live in York and my house backed on to a car park which periodically got occupied by travellers and the generators at night did get me down (not to mention the mess) where they left/were moved on.
I think the travellers do go to other parts of Leeds and from what I’ve seen the Council has been pretty quick to move them on locally and got better at doing so. One of the problems in Holbeck is the amount of empty public space which makes it easier to occupy than elsewhere.
The council has been trying to provide more spaces for travellers which would make the process of removing unauthorised encampments easier but communities don’t want them in their area.
What action would you like to see the government taking Steve?
John
I think successive governments have had the right approach which is to encourage local authorities to provide permanent sites in their area. Some authorities have enough – some don’t. Leeds has only one at Cottingley Springs which it is trying to increase in size.