Travellers in Southern Country Park: East Herts Council sends in enforcement company to move on defiant encampment

Travellers have left Southern Country Park in Bishop’s Stortford after four days after East Herts Council sent in a specialist enforcement company.

The “unauthorised encampment” got into the park last Thursday afternoon (August 29) and defied a council order served on Friday to clear the site by 9am on Monday (Sept 2).

The local authority, which owns the Green Flag award-winning open space, called on the services of an enforcement company to move the travellers on. With the support of Hertfordshire police, the company moved them out of the district.

Today (Tuesday), council contractors will clear up any mess and put in place solid barriers to minimise a repeat encampment.

Police received several calls at around 4.20pm on Thursday to report that vehicles and caravans had arrived in the park. A motorist passing at the time told the Indie the vehicles had entered via an access at the corner of the A1184 St James’ Way and Obrey Way.

Cllr Graham McAndrew, who represents the Bishop’s Stortford Thorley Manor ward on EHC, told the Indie on Monday evening: “As soon as the council was aware that travellers had entered Southern Country Park late on Thursday afternoon, plans were put in place to move them on as soon as possible.

“Council officers, who worked very closely with the police throughout, visited the site on Friday and checked for any particular welfare needs – there weren’t any.

“At the same time, they issued notice for the travellers to leave. The travellers were given until 9am Monday at the very latest to voluntarily leave the park.

“As the travellers did not leave by that time, the council sent in officers from a specialist enforcement company to move the travellers on. With support of the police, the company moved the travellers on and out of the district by 5.40pm today.

“The council’s grounds maintenance contractor, Glendale, secured entry to the site once the travellers had left.

“The council will clear up any mess tomorrow (Tues) and will put in place more solid barriers to minimise any repeated access by travellers in the future.

“We are grateful for residents’ patience while we dealt with this matter.”

Earlier on Monday, Cllr McAndrew said that the travellers had been keeping the site in “reasonably” good condition.

He added: “They have shown no threatening or aggressive behaviour towards council officers or the police, and the police have not shared any report of intimidatory behaviour to park users.”

The encampment comprised about eight to 10 caravans and vehicles, a mobile wood chipper and some dogs in small kennels.