Council Considers Preventing Unauthorised Vehicle Access to Football Field Following Traveller Stoppage

WORK to prevent unauthorised vehicle access to a football field and surrounding grounds will be considered after travellers stopped at them in June. 
The unauthorised encampment meant the Woodfield Road football ground in New Inn, Pontypool had been unavailable after travellers moved caravans on the site at the end of June. 
Councillor Mandy Owen, the Labour cabinet member responsible, said council officers had visited the site at the time and considered the needs of the travellers and impact on  local residents. 
She said the council would also consider measures to prevent unauthorised vehicle access to the fields. 
New Inn Labour councillor Nick Byrne asked at Torfaen Borough Council’s July meeting what measures it would take to prevent unlawful encampments at the fields in future as well as if the council would consider providing a site with showers and toilets for travellers passing through, which the council could charge for. 
Cllr Owen, the Labour cabinet member responsible, said the council already has a transit pitch, at its Shepherd’s Hill site, but said it is “rarely used”. 
The council is however currently review its Gypsy and Traveller provision and said the low use of the transit site and “the relatively low number of unauthorised encampments has not identified a requirement for additional transit provision.” 
She said the assessment wouldn’t be made by the departments she is responsible for and is spread across different responsibilities of the council but the relevant cabinet member would update members on the outcome.   ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​