Victory declared as traveller bollards removed from Dudley park
A victory has been declared against unauthorised traveller encampments in Dudley.
Council leader Patrick Harley said the removal of concrete bollards from the park in Cot Lane, Kingswinford, is a symbol of the authority’s triumph.
Councillor Harley was present at the removal of the bollards which were installed at several parks and green spaces in 2018 following a series of encampments in the borough.
Dudley council bosses confirmed last week it now has tougher new powers to deal with unauthorised traveller encampments.
Under the new rules, travellers arriving in the borough will be directed to the fully operational temporary transit traveller site on Budden Road in Coseley.
If they refuse and set up illegal encampments, the police and Dudley Council officers can move them on quicker than before, enabling the council to begin removal of the concrete blocks.
Councillor Harley said the new site was part of a promise made to residents in Dudley borough.
He 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.
“This 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.
