A HUGE traveller fleet has set up camp outside taxpayers’ homes, leaving “stinking” piles of rubbish scattered around a much-loved park, locals claim.
Dozens of caravans and other vehicles arrived at Swanshurst Park on the border of Moseley, Birmingham, last Sunday (July 20).
SWNSA fleet of traveller caravans arrived at Swanshurst Park last Sunday[/caption]
SWNSRubbish is seen strewn across a patch of grass in the camp[/caption]
SWNSSandra Cotterill is annoyed the council clears the rubbish but won’t collect taxpayers’ bins[/caption]
It’s the fifth such incursion at the same spot this year – and angry residents say this one is the biggest yet.
People say they’re annoyed the council regularly clears away the group’s rubbish with the city in the midst of a months-long bin collection strike.
One resident claims a traveller keeps trying to buy his designer French bulldog for £250.
The Friends of Swanshurst Park Facebook group says the travellers gained access by moving a large log and driving in past bike racks.
Mum-of-two Rabai Tahir, who lives opposite the park, moved to the UK from Dubai with her husband five years ago and is “astonished” travellers are allowed to keep coming back.
They leave lots of rubbish bags and some of it stinks. It’s cleaned up by my council tax money. I don’t allow my kids to go over to the play park when they’re there. We don’t know who they are.
Rabai Tahir
“They leave lots of rubbish bags and some of it stinks,” she told The Sun. “It’s cleaned up by my council tax money.
“I don’t allow my kids to go over to the play park when they’re there. We don’t know who they are.
“It’s shocking for me and my husband that people can stay here for weeks. It’s a community park.”
Sandra Cotterill has lived opposite the park for 19 years. She said: “I’ve had no trouble with them, they never bother me. Some people don’t want to take their kids and dogs there.”
However, she is annoyed that the local authority makes such an effort to clear the group’s rubbish when thousands in the city have seen their own rubbish pile up for months.
Sandra said: “They bag up all the rubbish and the council cleans it all away.
“We’re paying our taxes, and we can’t get our bin bags picked up, but they get theirs taken.”
Birmingham has been hit by long-running bin strikes. Piles of rubbish have been seen in parts of the city since bin collection workers walked out in January.
Sandra’s neighbour, who has lived in the area for 40 years and walks her dogs in the park, said residents are getting fed up with different traveller groups constantly coming and going.
The woman, who did not want to be named, said: “They clear them off and a week later another different group comes here.
“I keep away from them, they take over the park really. We’re all just fed up.
“Travellers move the logs. We need a permanent solution to stop them coming onto the park.
“The amount of money the council must spend tidying up is ridiculous.”
Another man who, who says he’s been offered money for his pet, added: “They’re all right, they’re not bad people and I’ve got Irish in my family.
2025 Birmingham bin strike
The Birmingham bin strike is an ongoing stand off between refuse workers and Birmingham City Council over pay and the removal of roles.
It started in January 2025 and full scale industrial action was then taken from March 11, involving members of Unite union.
The same month, the local authority declared a major incident after 17,000 tonnes of rubbish were left uncollected on the city’s streets.
In April, the government was forced to call in Army specialists to provide logistical support.
This month, Unite said it would review its relationship with the Labour Party after the government expressed support for the council amid the strike.
According to reports, lower income areas, including Sparkhill, Balsall Heath, Small Heath, Sparkbrook and Ladywood have suffered the greatest compared to more affluent suburbs like Harborne and Edgbaston.
On Friday (July 25), a second megapicket co-ordinated by Strike Map started across several parts of Birmingham, involving 26 organisations from across the trade union movement, in support of the striking workers.
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn urged Birmingham City Council to “get a deal now” as more piles of rubbish were left uncollected.
“I don’t like the mess though and my kids can’t use the park when they’re around.”
One resident, a new mum, added: “They make a mess, but it doesn’t bother me. A lot of people here don’t like it because the park is for children and it restricts them from using it.”
This week the admin of the volunteer-run Swanshurst Park Facebook group posted: “Spent another couple of hours clearing up litter round the Park.
“I’m fairly sure that some of it was nothing to do with the Travellers and had been dropped last night by other people traversing the Park.
“Had some good interactions with some of the women who thanked me for my efforts and assured they would bag up their rubbish.
“We will see but I am sure it will be better than on previous occasions.
“Some of the children wanted to help me and I am sure this must be the way forward to get a dialogue going.”
A council spokesperson said: “Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it.
“The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community – which is in line with Government policy – and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation
Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website.”
SWNSSome locals are worried about letting their kids use the playpark, which sits next to the camp[/caption]
SWNSIt’s the fifth time travellers have taken over the park this year[/caption]
SWNSChildren from the camp in the park this week[/caption]
SWNSDozens of caravans are currently parked up[/caption]
SWNSMany locals want the council to do more[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
