Site is certainly not ‘lesser of two evils’

IN a previous edition it was stated that the temporary Travellers’ site in Ashbourne’s coach park was chosen as it appeared to be “the lesser of all evils”.

While it might have seemed that way to councillors at the time, it has become apparent to anyone living in Ashbourne that this is not the case.

I won’t go into detail about the problems people have been experiencing as they rub shoulders with the family camped on the coach park, but suffice to say it has been an unpleasant time for all concerned. It is not a suitable site, and I would argue it is certainly not the lesser of all evils.

I don’t agree with Travellers being dumped in the middle of a town centre, it’s not good for the families concerned, and it’s certainly not good for the residents and visitors.

But who on earth gave the nod for that small coach park, at a time when Lloyds Pharmacy and the medical centre are so busy? Parking there is a nightmare at the best of times.

This might seem an outlandish suggestion, but I would profer that the “lesser of all evils” would, in fact, be the Fishpond Meadow car park.

I realise it’s not ideal for people overlooking the site, but it is a completey unused car park (for reasons I don’t really understand) and it has some degree of screening from the road. Most people might drive past and not even notice a group of caravans.

Most importantly, it would have no impact on people who need, sometimes quite urgently, to visit the town’s medical facilities and we’d still have somewhere to accommodate groups arriving in coaches.

I can only assume the decision to put them in Clifton Road was taken by people who know very little about the town. And that wouldn’t surprise me at all.

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