Concrete blocks removed at Cot Lane
The leader of Dudley Council has hailed the removal of concrete bollards at Cot Lane in Kingswinford as a symbol of the authority’s victory against unauthorised traveller encampments.
The local authority was forced to install bollards at several parks and green spaces in 2018, following a series of unauthorised traveller encampments in the borough.
Last week, council bosses confirmed it now has tougher new powers to deal with unauthorised traveller encampments, which have sometimes occurred on green spaces and parks in the borough.
The temporary transit travellers site on Budden Road Coelely is now complete and fully operational. Under the new rules travellers arriving in the borough will be directed to the new site.
If travellers refuse the police and Dudley Council officers can move them on quicker than before, enabling the council to begin removal of the concrete blocks.
Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:
We promised people in Dudley borough that we would get a traveller encampment up and running to running to help protect the public purse from unauthorised encampments.
We are now in a position to start the process of removing concrete posts from our parks and green spaces, which is a victory for our borough and our residents over those who have sought to illegally occupy public land.
Sandwell has a similar site in place and Wolverhampton and Walsall are also looking at potential sites. Dudley Council hopes the site will help to avoid a displacement of unauthorised encampments from elsewhere in the Black Country.