Borough Wide Injunction Fails to Deter Travellers

Gunnersbury Park and Horsenden Hill occupied this week

Picture: Cllr Dabrowska

Ealing Council’s success in obtaining a High Court injunction against traveller encampments has failed to prevent further incursions in public spaces in the borough.

The latest camp to appear is at the southern end of Gunnersbury Park where a large group has appeared near the Potomac Lake. A significant number of vehicle movements were reported in the park overnight.

The injunction does not cover the park as Hounslow is the planning authority and it is understood Gunnersbury Park CIC who manage the park are responsible for getting the encampment moved on.

A spokesperson for Gunnersbury CIC told us, "We were made aware of an illegal traveller incursion to the south-west corner of the park on 22 May. As the organisation responsible for managing Gunnersbury Park, Gunnersbury CIC is working with its legal team to obtain a court order to facilitate the speedy removal of the encampment. Both the police and London Borough of Hounslow council officials have visited the site and offered their support in this course of action."

A group of travellers left Berkeley Fields, Horsenden Hill on Tuesday (21 May), the fourth incursion they have made on this site. The area was left strewn with debris. A notice was posted by Ealing Council on the entrance to the site referring to the injunction order obtained by the Council on 10 May at the High Court. This prohibits anyone from occupying the land for residential purposes using caravans, mobile homes or any other vehicles.

Another group appeared in Carville Hall Park South next to the M4 last weekend. This is outside the area covered by the injunction obtained by Ealing Council but a Notice to Quit within 24 hours was served Sunday afternoon by Hounslow's Enforcement Team. A court hearing was arranged for this Thursday and the group have now departed with no debris left at the site. It is understood that this is the same group that have moved on to Gunnersbury Park.

Cllr Joanna Dabrowska, who represents Ealing Common ward for the Conservatives, explained that the injunction will act as a deterrent in future and allow a more swift removal of encampments. For the Horsenden Hill incursion the Council needed to get a writ of assistance to activate the injunction but this will not be necessary in future and encampments should be removed within 24 hours from now on.

The group in Carville Hall Park South

Cllr Shital Manro said on Facebook of the Horsenden Hill incursion before the departure of the group, “the council have served papers which we should force them off the land as there is now an injunction in place. As I said before an injunction enables us to act faster than before but can’t prevent people breaking the law.”

Debris left in Berkeley Fields, Horsenden Hill

May 23, 2019