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Edinburgh Reporter
16-07-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
Newbridge – no clean up as promised
The Newbridge Association is still trying to get the council to clean up their village's ancient monument after a group of travellers were moved on from the site last week. Despite assurances from the council's Transport and Environment Convener there has been no action at all from the local authority to remove any of the debris left behind. After a six week period during which two lots of travellers used the site, the residents were appalled by the rubbish left behind, and asked the council for help. Last week Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr Stephen Jenkinson said: 'We've taken action against an encampment at Newbridge, with sheriff officers serving a legal notice to vacate the site earlier this week. The site will now be cleared and returned to its former condition.' The villagers report there has been no action taken in the last seven days. The Newbridge Association has now written to their local MP, Christine Jardine, asking who they need to contact in order to get the matter dealt with. In the letter the Association say that they are concerned about the number of birds feeding on the waste food dumped on the site vacated on 8 July. The historical monument site at Huly Hill is on the flightpath and their worries are that there could be a possible bird strike if nothing is done to remove the mess. The villagers have already noticed rats in the area and fear a plague will result. Their letter ends: ' If they were to illegally camp on Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. Lauriston Castle Gardens. South Queensferry ferry Harbour, all Historical areas. these people would be forced to leave immediately ,so why does Newbridge village have to wait 6 weeks and have to get sheriff officers involved to move from our Historical Monument.' The council have been asked for comment. A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: 'A member of our Airside Operations team visited the site and advised our compliance team of the increase in gull activity. We have raised concerns with the council and asked them to expedite cleaning of the area.' Historic Environment Scotland look after the monument but the council own the land on which it stands. 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
Edinburgh Reporter
10-07-2025
- 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
Scottish Sun
10-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Fury as travellers leave mounds of rubbish behind on ancient Scottish site
Locals want action taken TRASH ANGER Fury as travellers leave mounds of rubbish behind on ancient Scottish site Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LOCALS have been left fuming after a group of travellers left piles of rubbish scattered across a Scottish beauty spot. The trash mounds were left stacked at the Huly Hill Standing Stones in the village of Newbridge, near Edinburgh. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Piles of rubbish were left behind Credit: Alan Simpson The site is home to 3,000-year-old ancient cairn which dates back to the Bronze Age. But the historic location was home to two groups of travellers over the past six weeks, according to locals. The most recent group were moved on by Sheriff Officers earlier this week. After they left, residents of the village discovered the shocking scenes. Pictures taken of the site show huge piles of bin bags and other trash scattered around the woods. Rodents and seagulls have even tore into bags of food waste and made the mess even worse. Newbridge locals have even claimed fridges, tyres and even HUMAN POO have been found in the woods. Gus MacKerracher, who is a member of the Newbridge Association, slammed the mess. He said: "We're all absolutely disgusted. "Food bags have been burst open, seagulls and rodents have spread more mess everywhere while trying to get into them. 'Absolutely disgusting' - Sunderland fans blasted after footage of how Trafalgar Square was left following party emerges "Everything has been left in these big piles for about 50 yards. It's trailer loads of rubbish. "They've left fridges, tyres and bits of fence that was broken off so they can get in. "Some people were even defecating in the woods." Discarded pots and pans, used nappies, cans, cups, plates and mugs were all among the rubbish left behind. Gus, 69, added they are working with Edinburgh Council to try and protect historic area. He added: "We held a public meeting a few weeks ago about the problem. "We want to try and get it secured but we have been told it could take a year to get the funding and plan it out. "We just want to stop this kind of thing from happening. "The area is very popular with dog walkers and everyone local respects it. "But I imagine it will cost them a lot just to clean up the mess left behind."
