Travellers were served with another eviction notice after they moved on from a park in Bicester.
Travellers who had set up an “unauthorised encampment” on Gavray Drive were reported to the police yesterday and served with an eviction notice.
A police spokesman confirmed that a “section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 was served last night and complied with”.
READ MORE: Mark Harper: Councils should review 'unpopular' LTNs
No arrests or vehicles were seized.
Travellers occupied Glory Farm Park, which is off Sunderland Drive, from Thursday (July 6) last week and their presence was reported to the police by Bicester town councillor Sam Holland.
The police subsequently issued the travellers with an eviction notice, and this ordered them to leave by Saturday evening (July 8).
READ MORE: Fear for welfare incident closes Oxford's Eastern Bypass
Mr Holland, who represents Bicester East, said it was important residents’ lives were not disrupted by the “illegal occupation” of the park.
He said: “On Friday I spoke with the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber who has tasked police resources to be available to enforce the eviction notice which has a deadline of Saturday evening.
“Whilst we recognise travelling communities have longstanding historic cultural traditions, we at a local level must ensure the law is enforced and residents’ lives are not disrupted by illegal occupation of the land.
“That’s why we’ve acted swiftly here in Bicester with the police.”
Mr Holland explained the travellers managed to gain entry to the land, as the “gate to accessing the land had its lock broken and remains open for access”.
READ MORE: Bicester travellers told to end 'illegal occupation' of park
Thames Valley’s police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber said: “I have pushed Thames Valley Police for a more consistent approach to dealing with illegal encampments.
“New legislation gives the police more powers when there is a significant impact on communities and whilst operational decisions on individual cases are rightly in the hands of the police, I am encouraged to see a fair and firm approach being taken to applying the law.”
Mr Barber said the impact of travellers on the police force’s resources would be less if councils did more to provide “official sites”.
Police confirmed the travellers complied with the order to leave the park and “no arrests or vehicles were seized as a result of police activity”.
A police spokesman said “We are aware of an unauthorised encampment which was reported on Sunderland Drive in Bicester on Thursday.
“A section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 was served yesterday and complied with.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel