09/05/2025
***Update on Test Valley’s Traveller Injunction***
I’m at the High Court in London today to listen to our application to renew Test Valley Borough Council’s unauthorised encampments injunction against ‘persons unknown’.
Considering some recent national press articles I’ve read recently it seems that we are well and truly into traveller season. Touch wood we haven’t seen any unauthorised encampments in Test Valley so far this year - helped in part by our injunction*.
In fact, since last May, we have only had two breaches in the injunction area:
1️⃣ On 24th of June 2024, where 4 caravans broke onto the cricket pitch at Romsey Rapids.
2️⃣ On the 24th August 2024, where several caravans gained access to some green space in Augusta Park.
In both cases the police threatened to arrest the perpetrators if they didn’t quickly vacate the site, and the encampments packed up and moved on the same day.
Compare this to the two years immediately prior to our interim order where in 2018 we had 38 unauthorised encampments and in 2019 we had 40. The vast majority of which included some form of fly-tipping, the dumping of human waste, damage, nuisance, animal cruelty or intimidating or anti-social behaviour – with every single encampment occupying land where they didn’t have permission to be**. Back then we had to wait up to a week to obtain a court order to move them on and on some occasions they would just drive down the road to a different location and we would have to start the process all over again.
It’s clear, therefore, that the hard work to get our injunction in place is paying off. However, although our final injunction obtained last May includes a five-year order against ‘persons known’, we only had a one-year order against ‘persons unknown’ (the maximum allowable). So, need to renew it.
The hearing is today, and I’ll be in the High Court to hear the case. It’s not guaranteed we will receive the judgment today but I’ll keep you all informed.
Unfortunately, my approach in standing up for local residents has, in the past, led me to be targeted by a particular online traveller group who have previously inundated my posts with accusations of racism, bad language and implied threats. I have, therefore, taken the decision to disable comments on this post. If Test Valley residents have any specific questions though, then please do email me at [email protected].
*The order covers 17 square miles of Test Valley including all of Andover as well as the Alma Road car park in Romsey, Romsey Rapids and the Nursling and Rownhams Hall and Recreation Ground. All areas which have seen significant problems over many years.
**We do, of course, have a negotiated stopping policy which those who wish to stop as they pass through Test Valley can apply for in advance, by completing an application form and adhering to agreed behaviours.
Update:
***Injunction Success***
We successfully renewed our traveller injunction against ‘persons unknown’ (with the power of arrest) for a further 12-months.
The Judge, Her Honour Justice Ricardson, was clear that there had been no material changes, that our current order is extremely effective in preventing not just the number of unauthorised encampments, but the length of their stay and, of course, the reduction in clean-up costs.
She referenced our evidence that larger numbers of unauthorised encampments are still taking place in similar local authority areas that don’t have injunctions and that the number of encampments increased prior to May 2024, when our power of arrest was discharged. She was, therefore, satisfied with the continued efficacy of the order.
