Queensland police issue eviction notices to 'tent city' residents in homelessness crackdown
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Rough sleepers from Park Lane encampment move to Oxford Street
Members of a group of rough sleepers evicted from an encampment on Park Lane are thought to have relocated to locations along Oxford footage shared online shows a long line of people outside John Lewis, with another group also known to be sleeping by Marks & City Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) it believes some of them were among those in the Park Lane encampment recently dismantled by Transport for London (TfL).A spokesperson for the council said its rough sleeping teams were out speaking with people across the city, and "we can offer routes to hostel accommodation and help with addiction and mental health issues". The Park Lane encampment, which was established on a patch of land opposite the Hilton hotel by Hyde Park Corner, mirrored a similar site set up last summer closer to Marble Arch. This was also taken down after TfL was granted a possession order by the LDRS recently revealed TfL had spent nearly £37,000 on court fees and instructing bailiffs and legal counsel over the last two years removing people from Park Lane. Further costs are expected from the court this LDRS visited the Park Lane encampments both this year and last, and spoke to several local businesses who raised concerns. One person who runs a nearby restaurant said: "The problem is we try to push them away and they won't budge out. All I want to do is get rid of them because of the customers. And it's not good for the area."Following the dismantling of the encampment this year, a TfL spokesperson said those sleeping rough at Park Lane "have been made aware that returning to the site is not an option and that they will be removed. "As there is no safe option for people to sleep rough at this site, we have also arranged for security staff to patrol the area to discourage people from returning."People have been sleeping rough on Oxford Street for years, and it is understood some have been gathering by John Lewis and Marks & Spencer for at least a few LDRS visited Oxford Street one evening last week, by which point the two groups had begun gathering outside the stores. Several workers at businesses along Oxford Street said they had experienced no issues with the groups themselves, though claimed they were aware of issues such as pickpocketing affecting the shopping district. The Met Police has been approached for comment by the LDRS. 'Dramatically worse' According to government data, on a single autumn night in 2024, Westminster recorded 388 people on the streets, a rise of 40 compared to second place was Camden with 132 people and then 86 in the City of West End councillors Paul Fisher and Tim Barnes previously called for TfL and Westminster to "provide a lasting solution to illegal camps, otherwise we will be back at square one. This is unacceptable at the centre of our capital".Commenting on those sleeping on Oxford Street, Mr Barnes said the issue pre-dates the removal of the tents on Park Lane and that TfL and Westminster City Council should know the groups were linked. He also claimed it was part of a wider problem that had got "dramatically worse" over the last couple of said: "We know that the vast majority of the rough sleepers in the area are part of organised criminal begging gangs but too little joined-up action has taken place to put their illicit trade to an end."A Westminster City Council spokesperson said: "As a local authority we have more rough sleepers than any other part of the country and we spend more than any other local authority – around £8m a year – to offer rough sleepers a route off the streets."Across the city, our rough sleeping teams are out seven days a week talking to people living rough."We have more than 380 hostel beds to help those sleeping rough and 100 emergency beds on standby, so the reality is nobody needs to be sleeping on the streets."The spokesperson added: "Over the years, we have witnessed those who have been human trafficked, those who are being exploited for criminal behaviour and those with complex mental health or other complex social needs. "We work with colleagues across the public sector, including police, social care and health to ensure the right support and interventions are co-ordinated."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Terrifying moment group of three children are hit by out-of-control car driven by 'P-Plater'
Three schoolgirls miraculously escaped with minor injuries after an out-of-control car crashed into them as they walked home from school. Chilling footage of the crash on Harry Street in Bellbird Park, south-east Brisbane, shows the white Ford Falcon fishtailing around a corner before collecting the three girls, who were hurled into the air. The car then crashed through a fence and into a tree around 3.30pm on August 12. Queensland Police have launched an investigation. CCTV footage revealed the car appearing from around the corner and immediately veering into the group, who had no oppourtunity to get out of the way. Two of the three primary school-aged kids were sisters, with their mother witnessing the crash as she walked to meet them. 'You just hit my daughter!' she said in the footage. She told by 7News on Wednesday: 'I seen the car, I seen them losing control... and I remembered the girls were on the footpath.' 'I looked over and my daughters were in the air.' Her daughter also described the crash. 'All I could see was the car coming towards us,' the girl said. 'So our friend who was walking with us - my first instinct was just to get them out of the way.' All three survived with two girls uninjured and one suffered a minor injury to her arm. The family allege that the Ford was driven by a teenage boy who was a red P-plater, with the partner of the concerned mother describing the situation as 'unimaginable'. The mother shared how grateful she is that the schoolgirls survived. 'Normally I'd say guardian angels are just a load of crap, but somebody was watching over them,' she said. 'You get behind the wheel of a car, you're putting everybody else's lives around you in your hands.' Her younger daughter, who was also hit by the car, told reporters she was more concerned for the alleged driver. 'I was scared that Mum was going to hurt that boy... he's just in high school. 'I didn't want his mum to ground him.'
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Northamptonshire council mulls over asylum hotel verdict
A Reform UK-run council has said it is "actively looking at the options" after the High Court decided asylum seekers should be evicted from a hotel.A judge imposed a temporary injunction blocking migrants from being housed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, are three hotels being used for asylum seekers in West Northamptonshire."We are currently considering the implications of this judgment to understand any similarities and differences and actively looking at the options now available to us," said council leader Mark Arnull. "We have always been clear with the government and the public that the current use of three hotels in west Northamptonshire have never been suitable locations for asylum accommodation and place an unreasonable and unsustainable strain on our already-stretched local services."Arnull said the hotels caused "concerns for our communities" and he had raised "these issues" with the Home Office and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Earlier this year, Conservative MP for Daventry Stuart Andrew - who is also shadow culture secretary - said he shared the "anger" of constituents over the use of a hotel in his Tuesday's High Court decision, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said the party would pursue similar cases over hotels across all the 10 council areas it to BBC Radio Northampton earlier, independent west Northamptonshire councillor Ian McCord said he had been "unhappy" for a "number of years" about one local hotel being used for asylum said it was an unsuitable location for migrants."In my view, people go to a hotel for a temporary stay, and frankly, this is their permanent address now."Border Security Minister Angela Eagle pointed out that the number of hotels being used for migrants had halved, from more than 400 in 2023."We will continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns," she said."Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament."We will carefully consider this judgement."Imram Hussain from the Refugee Council has said migrants should be placed in "dispersal accommodation around the country" as an alternative to hotels. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
