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Edinburgh Reporter

Travellers evicted from historic Newbridge site – leaving a trail of rubbish behind

After a period of six weeks during which two groups of travellers have occupied the Huly Hill site at Newbridge the encampment has now been vacated, with debris and rubbish left littering the area. Gordon MacKerracher of the Newbridge Association said that while there is relief that the travellers have left, residents live in fear of others arriving to take their place. He said villagers are 'really, really fed up with this encampment'. He explained there were two lots of travellers, the first on the site for about three weeks before there was a short break and a second group moved in. Sheriff Officers visited three days ago and gave the people living there 24 hours to move on. According to Mr MacKerracher who has lived in the area for almost five decades, the site has been used by the travelling community for a number of years, and the Association has had many dealings with the council trying to get the area secured. The City of Edinburgh Council own the land and Historic Environment Scotland look after the monument. Mr MacKerracher said: 'it is a 3,000 year old historical monument with standing stones. This is where they found a Roman chariot when they were laying the foundations for the industrial park across the road. It has a fence all the way round it but the travelling community simply cut the fence and drive on to the grass with their caravans. This time the fence which was cut was only one day old. It was a brand new fence and they burned the fence within the historical monument.' As you will see in our photos there is a great deal of rubbish and household waste, including soiled nappies, left behind after the latest group departed. There is also an amount of garden waste, indicating that the travellers have been doing gardening work in the area and dumping the rubbish on the Huly Hill site. At a meeting of the Association at the weekend, local MP, Christine Jardine spoke to the residents who say they want to withhold their council tax and put it in a separate account to fund their own repairs. According to Mr MacKerracher's information the council believe it will take up to a year to secure the site – although they appear to have funding to clear the rubbish. Ms Jardine said on Thursday: 'I attended the recent community meeting with my Liberal Democrat colleagues, and have been speaking to concerned residents about the need for a swift clean-up operation. I am writing to the Council to pass on the concerns, and ask for a timeline for the clean-up and a resolution going forward.' This is another blow for the residents in the village where the latest bus service to Edinburgh passes through Ratho and makes a loop about 100 yards away from Newbridge but does not collect any passengers. Villagers who want to take a bus to the city centre are faced with a dangerous walk to the main A89 road. Mr MacKerracher said that this decision is another bone of contention for people living in Newbridge. He said: 'We just seem to get ignored.' The City of Edinburgh Council has been contacted for comment. 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson 10/7/2025 Huly Hill (Neolithic and Bronze Age) at Newbridge Midlothian Edinburgh where travellers were moved on and have left a real mess behind. PHOTO Alan Simpson Like this: Like Related