Anger at Travellers’ mess and damage

Travellers’ mess and damage

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Travellers have had something of a presence in the borough in recent months, and the mess they leave behind - damaged ground, hacked trees and dumped litter - is angering residents.

The travellers who set up on the car cark outside Dunelm Mill left food packets and general mess for someone else to clean up.

On Crawford Street, close to Kingsway, the greenery has been left spoiled by heavy vehicles, whilst litter is being dumped almost at every location.

In Castleton back in May, and Cronkeyshaw Common in April, travellers set up for at least a week and left a mess needing to be cleared.

Residents have been calling on the council to take tougher action against the travellers, but the council is limited by the law.

Sadie McDermot, who lives on Meadway, said that the caravans parked on the fields close to her house recently left bags of rubbish behind. She said: “I don’t really use the back fields but I know people who walk their dogs there or have children who play there. That stops when travellers turn up. The thing is, they don’t get the field back after they’ve gone, because they’ve turned it into a mess.”

Kingsway resident Rudi Ryan said: “I walk my dog and my children play on this area and it has been left in total devastation. The council always seems to miss the mess that they leave behind wherever they go.

“I don't live in the nicest of areas but when something like this happens or when the travellers take a car for a 'test drive' on the football pitch, it really brings the area down.”