Leader slams ‘dog attacks’ and ‘trail of destruction’ after travellers pitch up
Around 19 vehicles parked up on the land and left a ‘trail of destruction’
A council leader is calling for change following reports of “dog attacks” and piles of rubbish dumped in a popular park by travellers.
The unauthorised encampment arrived at the recreation ground on Park Lane in Fareham at the start of the month.
Around 19 cars and associated vehicles parked up on the land, according to Fareham Borough Council. Since then, waste has been found strewn across the site, while residents were subject to “abuse and dog attacks”, according to council leader Simon Martin.
He said: “The travellers arrived on August 5 and accessed the Park Lane site by damaging the fencing.
“During the period of occupation, there were complaints that travellers were verbally abusing residents and [there were] dog attacks.”
The Conservative leader of Fareham Borough Council is keen for changes to be made.
Speaking after the travellers left the site, Cllr Martin said: “The travellers were evicted at the weekend and left a trail of destruction.
“The rubbish left will have to be undertaken by the council, which is paid for by residents through their council tax.
“The law needs to change so that travellers can be prosecuted for criminal damage and made to pay for the cost of cleaning up after them.”
Pictures shared on social media by Cllr Martin show the extent of the waste dumped by the travellers.
One image shows an abandoned buggy and several black bags of rubbish, while another shows a felled tree, several blue and red wires, and a motorbike.
Numerous plastic bottles and cardboard boxes were also seen scattered on the grass.
In a post on Facebook, Cllr Martin said: “Following the eviction of travellers who decided to break our fencing to gain illegal access to our land in Park Lane and damage our property, this is what we are now left with to clear up.
“All of which will have to be paid for by the council.”
Cllr Martin said the eviction process began on the date of the travellers’ arrival, and that Hampshire police were informed of the alleged dog attacks.
The force has since said that no reports of this nature were received during the time that the travellers were on the site.