Park & Ride

The caravans are still parked there with the usual gas cylinders around them. I would think twice before parking any vehicle there nowadays!

Went a bit quieter there for a few weeks but the number of cars parking there seems to be on the increase again. Judging by the folk getting on the bus, could be a lot of students parking there to get the bus down to Telford or Napier.

The car park does seem to be a lot fuller now but no sign of the caravans being removed yet, though I think there were less of them present today.

I see there are even more traveller caravans in the park & ride now, rightly or wrongly I'd have doubts about leaving my car in there.

At last they are taking some action about the "travellers":

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Travellers-given-48-hours-to.5763669.jp

I wonder how long it would take them to remove a working taxpayer who parked their caravan their. No doubt there will be a nice pile of rubbish to clear up when they leave as always.

It appears that the cooncil (not sure if that is Midlothian or Edinburgh in this case) are as useless at removing the "travellers" as they are at most other things - there are around 9 caravans at the P&R now, parked near the back of the site. No doubt they have to start all over with proceedings to remove them by legal means.
I also see that the roof of the building seems to be having more problems as part of the waiting area is fenced off again. I guess they will get it all sorted out one day!!!

I wondered if the original notice to move out was for the original bunch of travellers who used the area near the entrance and that they may need another notice for the lot at the back who arrived later.

No sign of any action yet to remove the latest bunch of "travellers" - tonight I counted 12 caravans scattered around the site.
I suppose one day the authorities will get round to doing something about it....but I won't be holding my breath!

It looks more like a caravan site everytime you go in, they seem to have got the message about moving on - just not that it means actually leaving the P & R!! Though they are getting closer to the gate....

So they have finally got rid of the travellers from Straiton:

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Travellers-quit-parkandride-site.5829830.jp

No doubt there is plenty of rubbish for us lucky taxpayers to pay towards cleaning up!

I'm not anti-traveller, but my opinion of them has changed a bit having seen the mess they've left at the park and ride. There are huge bins just across the road at Straiton, so why they didn't use those is beyond me. They've also left old gas cannisters, broken bikes etc. lying around. The big pile of rubbish at the entrance has been there for weeks now and is going to be a health hazard if it doesn't get shifted.

Although I haven't seen the mess at the park and ride, I've seen the rubbish they left after they took over the old railway walk at Rosewell and that was terrible

THEY ARE BACK!!! The travelling people and their caravans have returned to Straiton Park and Ride once more - I was rather shocked to see them spread all over the place as the bus went through on Saturday and they were still there today.
Why can the police just not chase them out?

I didn't see any caravans this evening, so it looks like they've gone.

I think I know where they went. It looks liike the car park at the old big W store at the Jewel is the place to be now.

They may have got rid of the travellers but, as usual, they have left lots of rubbish behind them including their favourite gas cylinders!

Well, it looks like the travelling folk have returned to the park and ride with a vengence. They have taken over the space near the entrance and there must be at least 20 caravans, if not more.

When are the authorities going to do something? I saw that they have been doing the same thing at Park and Ride sites in Aberdeenshire too.

Hello Sam.


We have exactly the same problem up here in the North of Scotland........they move into the Park & Ride............and bring their horses!!! From this week's local paper..................

I saw it at the weekend and it is ridiculous how they get away with this. What we need is a few of my colleague "Gene Hunt" type police to sort them out.
I would like to know what happens if anyone parked in the P&R has their car vandalised / broken in to / stolen? Would their insurance cover them as I would not want to park there at the moment.

I have to say, my wife has been parking there for a while, even before they were there and has had no problems with them - neithers the car!

Here's hoping it continues.
Agreed - They shouldn't be allowed - Gene Genie could come in very handy in Penicuik just now, what with all the trouble at nights.

No problem with them, but can't say the same for the Sainsbury's leaflets which keep appearing under my windscreen. Latest one was covering the tax disc, so room there for things to go awry. If it's an offence not to clearly display your tax disc, then some prat from Sainsburys sticks a leaflet on the car which interferes with it, then surely they are the ones committing an offence, (or is it wishful thinking on my part and I would be liable to pay any ticket or charges if I got towed?). Sainsburys also don't send anyone out afterwards to clear up the mess of litter (their leaflets) left by people who don't want anyone touching their cars when they are not there in the first place. Rant over, ... calm thoughts....

I see that the "travellers" are still there in abundance and have spread themselves around the place now. It really makes you happy to pay your council tax knowing that they pay none yet cost the council much more money!

It was very strange but although the carvans did go away, it seems that they have returned in greater force

This is just a simple question. No unpleasantness or anti-traveller sentiments implied.

Like I say, it's just a simple question.

What do travellers do for a living these days?

Tattie-howking here-and-there and berry picking on the Carse o' Gowrie might still be seasonal options, but they won't pay much. A few might get a living out of events like Hunter and Lass Day........... But what's the main source of income these days?