A NEW height barrier has been installed at a busy car park to keep out travellers who repeatedly set up camp on the land.


Residents and councillors are relieved after South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) responded to their complaints and installed the 2.35-metre barrier at the Rock Street car park in Thornbury on Monday.


The free car park was repeatedly targeted by travellers this summer, with one group moving their caravans in there in July and causing disruption in the town centre.


Natalie Burgess, 32, told the Gazette that a group of the travellers’ children caused a disturbance at the pub where she works when they came inside and shouted at customers and staff.


“It puts the whole community on edge when they are there,” she said.


“All we can hope is that the new barrier will stop the caravans coming into the car park.


“They will probably go elsewhere in Thornbury, but I’m hopeful that after last time they won’t come here again.


“If it’s made more difficult for them it will hopefully put them off.” 

 
Thornbury North councillor David Chubb had been pressing SGC to take measures to prevent caravans moving into the car park, with one option being the height restriction barrier.


Cllr Chubb praised SGC for their “swift action” in installing the new barrier.


“I’m glad that the council has acted swiftly in listening to the residents’ concerns on this one,” he said.


“I think the height barrier strikes a healthy balance between deterring illegal encampments whilst ensuring local shoppers and residents can still park for free and can continue to support our much-loved high street.”


The leader of SGC, Cllr Matthew Riddle, has congratulated Cllr Chubb on his efforts to have the barrier installed.


“I’d like to thank David for getting this done so quickly,” he said.


“The car park is essential to the health of our high street so I’m delighted to see David has taken steps to make sure it can’t be used a temporary caravan park again in the future.”


Avon and Somerset Police’s Inspector Clive Summerill, South Gloucestershire neighbourhood manager, said: “We have in recent months needed to assist the local authority in dealing with some parking issues in Rock Street.


“The barrier is clearly intended to ensure that this facility is not used for unlawful encampments.


“We feel it’s a sensible and proportionate step in making sure the rules are applied evenly and fairly to all, and that this resource is kept available to be used appropriately by all members of the local community.”


A SGC spokesman added: “The Rock Street car park height barrier was reinstalled to prevent unwanted high vehicles from entering, following requests from local councillors.


“The previous height barriers were removed a number of years ago when recycling banks were situated in the car park, as the barriers prevented lorries from accessing the site to empty the banks.


“However we have recently been able to reinstate the height barrier as the larger recycling banks have been now removed.”


The car park has 347 spaces, including 20 disabled bays, and is split into two-hour and 12-hour maximum stay periods.