Travellers forced to leave common
8:20pm Thursday 24th July 2008
A group of travellers who set up camp on Tooting Common have been forced to move after Wandsworth Council warned them they faced prosecution if they stayed.
The group of about 25 travellers left the common last night, leaving behind a significant amount of litter and waste which has all been cleared.
They also damaged the common by lighting bonfires which left large scorch marks on grassed areas, according to a council spokesman.
The travellers were forced to leave after the council warned them that they faced prosecution under byelaws which prevent camping on the common.
They were also told that unless they moved on immediately the council would tow their caravans and other vehicles off the common and onto the highway.
The council's environment spokesman Councillor Malcolm Grimston said: "Local people will be relieved that we have been able to remove this large group of travellers from the common relatively quickly.
"There are byelaws in place which ban camping on the common, and so our parks police delivered formal warnings that we would prosecute them if they did not leave. This seems to have had the desired effect and I am happy to say that they took themselves and their vehicles off the common late last night.
"Apart from setting up an unwelcome and illegal camp on the common, which many visitors would have found intimidating, they have left behind large amounts of rubbish including fridges and a gas canister that will now have to be cleared up at public expense. This is in addition to the damage they have caused by having large bonfires.
"Luckily the council was able to take action to move them on before their camp got any bigger and before any longer lasting damage was caused to the common."
Residents who witness any incident involving travellers on council-owned land are being urged to contact the town hall's emergency response team on 020 8871 6900 or the parks police on 020 8871 7532. Occupations of other land should be reported to the police.
The council runs an approved travellers site in Trewint Street in Earlsfield