Community Outraged as Travellers Enter Council Car Park
Families in Sittingbourne, Kent, are expressing their frustration after a group of travellers managed to enter a council car park despite the local authority spending £18,000 on new fencing to prevent such incidents. The incident has sparked anger among residents who feel that the money spent on security measures was wasted.
The situation escalated when dozens of travellers arrived at the Milton Recreation Ground, reportedly by removing a bollard from the area to gain access. This is not the first time such an event has occurred, as similar incidents have been reported in other parts of Kent and Surrey, as well as in Flamstead, Hertfordshire.
- The local authority had previously invested £18,000 in new fencing after repeated attempts by the travellers to enter the site last year.
- Despite these efforts, a new group managed to gain entry this week and left behind numerous bags of rubbish.
- The travellers are believed to have used an angle grinder to cut through a bollard, allowing them to drive onto the land.
The group only stayed for around 24 hours before being moved on, but the damage they caused was significant. Council officials had to visit the site to remove the bags of rubbish they left behind. Local residents were appalled that the travellers managed to enter the area, despite the substantial investment in fencing.
Paul Hubbard, 69, expressed his deep concern about the incident. He told the Daily Mail: “I think it’s ridiculous. They spent all of that money stopping them, but they have just been able to get on straight away. It didn’t take them long. They just do whatever they want. They act with impunity.”
He also questioned the effectiveness of the bollards, stating, “I think police knew who some of them were and they had injunctions against them. So they were able to act quicker than usual. But I just think what was the point of the bollards really? Also, you have to consider the cost of the police and the council turning up. That would have been thousands more.”
Terry Hunt, 56, who has lived in Sittingbourne for 30 years, described the situation as “worrying.” He said, “They were here a few times last year. It’s sad they spent thousands removing them but then have done exactly the same. I have no doubt they will be back. They do whatever they want. The police are scared of them. It’s a joke.”
The travellers were also accused of using the toilets without permission. Another local resident commented, “They’ve left a right mess. The council waste people have had to come twice because there was so much rubbish. Why is this allowed to happen? Some of the rubbish looks like it is from Guildford in Surrey. So they could be from anywhere.”
Lee Dodds, a waste removal worker for Swale Borough Council, confirmed that the council had to visit twice to remove the waste. He said, “This is the second visit; my colleagues removed more rubbish earlier today.”
Swale Borough Council was approached for comment on the matter, but no official response has been released yet. The community remains concerned about the ongoing issue of travellers entering public spaces and the impact it has on local resources and safety.
