Why the law should be enforced

The arrival of caravans in Werrington last week raised a familiar issue in Peterborough. What to do about the unauthorised occupation of public or private land, often by travellers?

Local residents are not short of their own problems during the Coronavirus emergency. The last thing they needed was an unauthorised encampment on their doorstep.

The virus shouldn’t distract us from enforcing the law. These camps are wrong and show a wilful disregard for our communities. Occupying this site helps no one, including the travellers themselves.

They are putting themselves at risk. Government guidance lists travellers as vulnerable and some in the community have the potential to be disproportionately impacted. Access to basic amenities like running water, adequate sanitation and refuse disposal facilities is essential to limiting the spread of COVID-19. These do not exist in the open spaces and roadsides of Werrington.

Confined and communal living conditions already make social distancing challenging, which is compounded without these amenities. Moving from site to unauthorised site also breaches the Government’s travel restrictions.

Travellers are not above the law. Nor are they above the virus. Sadly, a small group seems not to recognise either fact.

This is unacceptable behaviour. It’s wrong that residents should have to put up with this. It’s wrong that taxpayers will foot the bill for a clear up, yet again. The encampment makes a mockery of the personal sacrifices so many in our city have made at this difficult time.

Peterborough has already provided a purpose-built site for travellers, at substantial cost, but it’s underused.

My inbox is full of residents expressing their alarm. They know that previous camps in Peterborough left rubbish, debris and human waste behind when abandoned. They are reporting anti-social behaviour, people knocking on their doors touting for handyman business, and young men gathering in groups.

Most of all, they are angry that this group of travellers are being allowed to flout the lockdown and the law.

Peterborough has been remarkably resilient during this crisis. The odd problem aside, we have stuck to the rules. Perhaps as a result, the virus has not hit our city as hard as elsewhere, which I hope and pray remains the case.

The perception that travellers can disregard all this and break our laws is insidious. It damages community cohesion. Our authorities must now act quickly.

In the past, our City Council has been prompt to issue eviction notices, helped by plenty of practice. The police tell me that more enforcement action by officers happens in Peterborough than anywhere else in Cambridgeshire.

Council officers have been excellent at briefing me about the latest camp in Werrington. Uncertainty about whether some precedents hold during a national emergency should not turn into an excuse. I have asked Government Ministers to offer reassurance.

New legislation was already coming to make setting up camps a criminal offence. The Government wants the police to be able to move travellers on and seize caravans. These welcome reforms won’t help with today’s problem, but will help soon.

In the meantime, there are other laws that we can and must apply. I have absolutely clear about what I expect and what residents expect. If you agree (or disagree) let me know at: paul. bristow.mp@parliament.uk

Our city’s strength comes from standing together.

Peterborough’s MP writes his regular column for the Peterborough Telegraph