Court delays hold up action on evicting Traveller encampments in Bristol parks

Bristol: So, it turns out that court delays are really messing with the city’s plans to evict Traveller encampments from local parks. What used to take about two weeks is now dragging on for much longer, which is frustrating for everyone involved.

Last summer, a massive encampment popped up on the Downs, and then it moved to a couple of other parks. Interestingly, one expert mentioned that last year was actually “one of our quieter years” for such encampments, which is a bit surprising.

Travellers have been using the Downs as a stopping point for over 300 years, but the recent surge in vehicle dwellers is a different story. The council got an update on the legal issues surrounding these encampments not too long ago.

Ian Bowen, who coordinates services for Gypsy Roma Travellers, pointed out that the Downs have always been a popular spot for Travellers, especially those coming for work or hospital visits. Bristol’s Children Hospital is well-known in the Traveller community, and many stop here on their way to other places.

He also mentioned that while some vehicle dwellers treat the area as their permanent home, most Gypsy Travellers are just passing through. This can be a mixed bag; while it’s good for the local economy, it can also lead to some disrespect for the area.

The council has a couple of laws they can use to move people on, but one of them is considered too complicated for Bristol. Instead, they rely on a different law that allows them to take control of the land without needing to identify everyone in the encampment.

However, the process to get a court order has become much slower. Ian noted that while they usually act quickly, the court system is now taking longer than it used to, which means many groups have already moved on by the time they get a chance to act.

Last summer, there was a huge encampment with around 120 people that caused some trouble in other parks. The council managed to use a High Court writ to move them, but most encampments are smaller and less problematic.

The police have their own powers to evict Travellers, and they had to use them last year when a large group caused some serious issues. It was the first time these new powers were used in Avon and Somerset, and it seems to have worked.

There are also some tricky legal issues the council is dealing with. They had an injunction in 2019 that worked for a bit, but when they tried to extend it, they were denied because there wasn’t enough recent evidence of encampments.

Another ongoing problem is dangerous driving by some Travellers, especially with quadbikes. The council struggles to address these complaints, and it’s often better to report them to the police, who need solid evidence to take action.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Andrew Varney emphasized the importance of public reporting. He said that when people complain to their local councillor instead of the police, it creates a gap in data that the police need to allocate resources effectively.