Birmingham Council digs trenches around parks to prevent traveller encampments

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 22:08 · Archive

Birmingham City Council has dug trenches around at least three parks to prevent illegal traveller encampments.

Birmingham City Council has dug trenches around at least three parks across the city in recent months as a preventative measure against illegal traveller encampments. The affected sites include Daisy Farm Park in Highter's Heath, Manningford Road in Druids Heath, and Chinn Brook Recreation Ground in Yardley Wood, where concrete blocks have also been installed behind gates.

The action follows what both outlets describe as a 'whack-a-mole' pattern throughout the summer, where council officials invoked legal routes to clear caravans from public land, only for traveller vans to quickly relocate to other areas. Brandwood Police confirmed a trench was being dug at Manningford Park to prevent unlawful encampment.

Local residents have expressed frustration with the recurring problem. Members of Friends of Chinn Brook, a volunteer group that clears up after encampments, have criticised the council's response. One local told GB News the issue had been 'constant for the last four years' with travellers arriving up to seven times annually, describing the situation as 'a nightmare'. Many encampments reportedly leave behind significant amounts of waste.

Birmingham City Council said increased encampment pressures required them to consider 'a wider range of preventative measures' to safeguard public open spaces.

How it is being reported

• WW1-style trenches won't stop travellers from living on our doorsteps, enraged locals tell councilWorld War One-style trenches will not stop travellers from living on residents' doorsteps, enraged locals have told their council. In what has been described as an extended game of "whack-a-mole", locals have been becoming increasingly frustrated at the travellers pitching up next door to their homes – many of whom leave behind swathes of waste. Local authorities in the past would try to use legal routes to their advantage, but the travellers simply returned and popped up in another area of town. Birmingham City Council tried to combat the issue once and for all by digging trenches around…GB News · 21 Oct, 21:45
• Council resorts to digging TRENCHES around parks in bid 'to stop travellers'Birmingham City Council has dug defensive trenches around at least three parks across the city in the past few months to stop traveller vans illegally occupying the sites.Daily Mail · 20 Oct, 00:51

In this story: Birmingham City Council · Birmingham · Daisy Farm Park · Highter's Heath · Manningford Road · Druids Heath · Chinn Brook Recreation Ground · Yardley Wood

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem