Calls for action to stop travellers trashing Tipton

Action needs to be taken to stop travellers moving on to parkland in the Black Country after rubbish was left strewn across the grass, a councillor said today.

Councillor Philip Garrett wants security increased at the former Bolton Court site on Ocker Hill Road, Princes End, Tipton.

At the moment there is a small gate but Councillor Garrett said it does little to deter travellers from moving on to the land.

Cllr Philip Garrett is pictured by the gate used to access the land in Tipton

Piles of bin bags, broken glass and even a washing machine were left behind after around 20 caravans moved off the site last week.

The grassland has been empty since the last of the tower blocks was pulled down in 2011 but it has remained earmarked for redevelopment.

The latest group of travellers was on the site for around four weeks.

Mr Garrett said: "Currently only a small gate blocks the way in and can easily be forced open.

"There are also some other parts where caravans would be able to get onto the land. We must prevent this from happening again.

"I have sent a request off to the relevant department of the council and hopefully they will act quickly to get the site secured."

Councillor Garrett has also asked the council about what is planned for the site in the future and called for the land to be earmarked for new homes.

"Sandwell and especially Princes End is crying out for housing and this is a massive piece of land," he said. "It would be great for the area if a project can get under way here."

One resident of Ocker Hill Road, who did not wish to be named, said it was not the first time travellers has descended on the disused site.

A cage which a passer by claimed the travellers had kept six dogs in

"This will continue to a problem until the land is developed," he said.

"We were expecting work to have started by now but the land is still empty and so remains an open target.

He said while he had personally not experienced any problems with the travellers he believed others in the area had.

"One of the problems is they leave such a mess behind," he added.

"Something has to be done to get this land developed. That would totally deal with the problem once and for all."

Another resident said the travellers generally 'kept themselves to themselves' but a lot of residents were concerned when they arrived at the site.

In July, a group of travellers spent two weeks on Halesowen's Hurst Green Park before being moved off by bailiffs.

Dudley Council has now spent £2,800 on temporary bollards and is looking at a permanent solution.

The problem is widespread across the Black Country.

Earlier this summer, Wolverhampton council was forced to spend tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' cash to clean up Kitchen Lane in Wednesfield.

Travellers left an abandoned caravan in bits, human waste, cardboard boxes, drinks cans, mattresses and black bin bags.