MP says Peterborough is seen as 'soft touch' for Traveller camps

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow has urged police to use the “full force of the law” to ensure the city is ‘no longer seen as a soft touch for unauthorised Traveller encampments.

Mr Bristow made the call after a number of caravans set up on Werrington Rec over the weekend.

He visited the site on Monday, along with Werrington councillors John and Judy Fox.

In a letter to Cambridgeshire Police chief constable Nick Dean, Mr Bristow said: “I was pleased to see that officers did attend the scene while we were there. However, the full force of the law must now be used to prevent this from happening again.

"Year after year this problem occurs across the city. New powers give police the ability to swiftly arrest and move on those that encamp on sites illegally.

"We all know that the problems only get worse the longer an encampment remains, and public health risks and clean up costs are high.

"The new criminal offence, published in the Police, Crime and Courts Sentencing Act last year is punishable by a prison sentence of up to three months, or a fine of up to £2,500, or both and/or seizure of vehicles.

"These measures were brought in to give police the powers to tackle this issue and act as a deterrence for illegal encampments. Now this is the time to act. I trust you will use the full powers available to you and take a zero tolerance approach. This will act as a warning and ensure Peterborough is no longer seen as a soft touch for unauthorised Traveller encampments."

Yesterday Cambridgeshire Police said there had been no reports of anti-social behaviour regarding the camp.

Peterborough City Council have now issued a section 77 order on the travellers in Werrington, with the order expiring tonight (April 25).

If the group does not move on, then the council can apply for a Section 78 order at Magistrates’ Court. A Section 78 will result in a group being removed from a site, often by using bailiffs.