£10,000 of security measures are being introduced at two public green spaces in Burnham-On-Sea and Berrow to deter travellers from setting up camp there.
Burnham-On-Sea’s BASC Sports Ground has spent £2,500 on new measures at the entrance in Stoddens Road following a summer influx of more than 20 travellers vehicles.
And Berrow Parish Council is set to go ahead with an £8,000 grass bank around the Village Green to prevent travellers pitching up there after more than 30 vehicles were sited there in July and August.
BASC’s Peter Gaylard told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week: “After discussions with the local police, we’ve gone ahead with a new height restriction barrier to prevent vehicles over 2.2m gaining access to the fields. We’ve also installed new wooden stakes to prevent access over the grass. We had to do something and this is a start.” He added that the BASC team have also looked into getting an automatic road barrier but it has a cost of £7,000.
Berrow Parish Council Chairman Barry Kew, right, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We’re planning to install a 3.5ft grass bund around the village green to deter the travellers and will be discussing the plans in more detail at the next parish council meeting.”
“The cost will be £6-8,000, which is a huge amount to spend from public funds.”
“However, there’s plenty of support in the village for something to be done and we’re hoping to go ahead with the grass bund shortly.”
“We’ve also looked at installing bollards around the green, but there are pipes and cables underneath which we’d have to avoid or get relocated.”
Burnham-On-Sea’s MP James Heappey has also been looking into whether changes to the law could help local communities move the travellers faster in future.
Berrow Village Green in late July saw 30 travellers set up camp there.
The scenes in June when 20 travellers vehicles were at Burnham-On-Sea’s BASC sports ground.
