Travellers evicted from town’s railway station car park
TRAVELLERS have been evicted from a Matlock car park where they have been camped for months alongside a family for whom the district council has a duty of care.
Around a dozen caravans have been parked on Matlock’s railway station car park since the early part of the year and the number grew to around 20 by the middle of May.
Many of the travellers who had settled on the site left on Wednesday, May 26, but those that Derbyshire Dales District Council has a legal obligation to help under the homelessness act are being allowed to remain.
Council officers began carrying out the eviction after a successful application for a court order under Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 last Monday.
A council spokesperson said “The eviction was carried out peacefully, with a number of the travellers having left in advance of the eviction itself.
“The remainder left during the day, under the supervision of council officers, supported by bailiffs. As always on these occasions, the council also safeguarded vulnerable sites around the district during the eviction, in order to prevent further encampments from being established. “Evictions like this are a whole team effort and involve work from many sections of the Council as well as support from bailiffs and the police and thanks are due to all involved.” A permanent site had been suggested on Knabhall Lane, Tansley, but the issue has been contentious for local residents in the area, and the families themselves have expressed a desire to move to Ashbourne.
The dispute over Matlock Station has sparked a national debate, with former West Derbyshire Conservative MP, Matthew Parris, writing a piece for The Times claiming “there is no place for travellers” in modern Britain.
His views have been disputed by various groups, including the Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group – for which a spokesperson said the travellers would be like “fish out of water” if they were forced to move into traditional housing.