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Eastville Van dwellers' vehicles removed in joint operation

Eastville Van dwellers' vehicles removed in joint operation

BBC News2 hours ago
Numerous vans being lived in near a motorway have been removed in a police and council joint operation.The vehicles' residents - who were parked up and living on New Stadium Road, near Eastville Retail Park, in Bristol, close to the M32, were given notice to move on Friday and and within hours their vehicles had been towed away on trucks. The council said there had been vans at the site for more than 10 years.The joint operation by Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol City Council comes after van dwellers in other parts of the city were removed after evidence of drug dealing was found.There are an estimated 650 lived-in vehicles in Bristol with many occupants blaming high housing costs.
The council said it planned to repaint the existing yellow lines and install planters to try to stop the encampment returning.
"As the number of lived-in vehicles in Bristol has grown significantly in recent years the council recognises that the current situation across the city is not sustainable and is taking a proactive stance on addressing issues," it said.Councillor Barry Parsons, chair of the homes and housing delivery committee explained there had been an encampment "of some kind" on New Stadium Road for more than 10 years, "but the groups living there have changed several times"."The most recent group to occupy the site has been causing a number of anti-social behaviour issues, with evidence of criminality," he said.
Parsons added: "Individuals have been signposted to support services."When our contractors visited the site last week they were threatened and had a bottle thrown at their truck. "Most of the vehicles have now left the site."The council said it was working with Bristol Waste to remove large amounts of rubbish and fly-tipped materials around the site.A consultation looking into the future of van dwellers will be launched by the council in September.
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