Park & Ride

I think they just go round people's doors looking for odd jobs e.g. gardening, fixing a roof or laying paths. If the price is right some people might not care how it's done or whether they have any guarantee.

I think admin may be right - there have been several going round this year offering to power wash driveways, which is a new one on me...

I see that there is an article in this weeks Advertiser about the invasion of "travelling people". The authorities are supposedly gathering evidence and looking at ways of stopping them from coimg back once they eventually get them kicked out - don't hold your breath!



http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/Travellers-camp-at-Loanhead-park.6347762.jp

I noticed yesterday that they have finally departed and it all seems very clean - let us hope they can keep them out permanently this time.

They moved out on Friday and left a hell of a mess, which was cleaned up by the council (yeah, I know!) over the weekend.

Apart from the mess, they had been pretty much terrorising the staff in some of the shops across the road as well (I know this for a fact, as my daughter was one of the staff getting a really hard time from a mob of travellers).

Squirrel's Revenge wrote:

They moved out on Friday and left a hell of a mess, which was cleaned up by the council (yeah, I know!) over the weekend.

Apart from the mess, they had been pretty much terrorising the staff in some of the shops across the road as well (I know this for a fact, as my daughter was one of the staff getting a really hard time from a mob of travellers).

I wonder how much of that will be reported in the press -or are they keeping quiet after being told "not to rock the boat".

If it takes 28 days to do the legal enforcement, as has been stated elsewhere, then travelling between park ‘n’ rides every three and a half weeks could become a way of travelling life for these world-weary travelling folk, assured that the site will have been cleansed for their next visit.

Well, it looks as if the travelling folk have found an ally in the Equality and Human Rights Commission. However, it may not be enough to prevent Edinburgh council putting up restrictive barriers at Straiton
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Critics-slam-citys-gypsy-deterrents.6407956.jp

Nice how they are not allowing comments on that story on the EEN website. I love the way they think that the council should not be blocking access and should instead be spending more money on sites for the "travelling people" to live on! Perhaps the EHRC should be first on the "bonfire of the quangos"! and save the rest of us a great deal of money and aggro!

Very strange as they had plenty of comments when I was reading it Perhaps the discussion got out of hand and they removed them.

http://news.scotsman.com/news/Capital39s-park-and-ride-facilities.6405015.jp

Another story about the Park and Ride sites with one interesting comment about the lack of "limited stop" buses going in to town. Something that we in Penicuik certainly miss, especially with some of the closely packed bus stops going in to the city which must cause lots of wear on the brakes.

Noticed the have installed height restricting barrier. Looked quite low, saw a parked car with canoe on top which wouldn't have made it through after it went up. Don't think it'll stop the travellers though, they'll just drive over the pavement, and they can't restrict the height where the buses go...???

Tyre spikes, now there's an idea

I've never had reason to use the park and ride, so today I went for a look.

It was half empty!!!! - which was always the impression I got whenever I've driven passed it. There were three "camper vans" in a row and, on the other side of the car park, one caravan hitched up to a Jag, so I don't imagine any of these had anything to do with the traveller folk.

They seem to have gone. Were they chased out, or did they just leave?

Funny old world, isn't it. In the name of recreation, we all have the right to roam and even to bespoil beauty spots like Loch Lomand by camping and crapping where we please. If, however, your very way of life depends on a right to roam and camping in a crappy and half empty car park.........

What happened? Was there a sudden increase in babies being stolen, or farmers complaining that their cows' milk was curdling in their udders as the result of some ancient Romany curse.......? What happened? WHAT? I mean, I'd hate to think that all this hostility was no more than prejudice...... Not in Midlothian, surely. Not in this little bit of heaven where - like violence, incest, theft, drug and alcohol abuse, littering and generally anti-social behaviour - intolerance and prejudice are practically unknown most of the time.

What happened? You obviously didn't see the filth and mess they left behind on previous occasions, nor were you subjected to mobs of aggressive travellers stealing from the shops in Straiton Park (as my daughter was!) and abusing the staff and customers. You didn't have to weave your way round the car park, avoiding the kids bikes and buggys which were just dropped and left where they lay when they finished playing... What happened? - Read some of the previous posts, or better still, visit the park & ride when they are in residence or just after. You might just see for yourself, it's not prejudice without reason.

And yes, as I said, they're there again this morning. About ten of them, complete with tents set up, gas canisters, rubbish etc. This despite the fact that there is now a height restriction in place and the barrier erected. What a waste of time & money. I say nuke 'em & have done with it.

That is ridiculous! Surely the police can do something about them (eg. car tax checks, roadworthiness, searches etc)
I have to agree with Squirrel's Revenge's comments - why should we as taxpayers stump out to clear up after these people who seem to be a major part of the "black economy" and always seem to have plenty of money to spend on vans, caravans, gas cylinders, furniture and nappies which they are happy to leave behind?

From today's Evening News...

"Museum scraps children's activities due to travellers camp

AN East Lothian museum has been forced to abandon its summer activities for children after travellers set up camp on its grounds.

Prestongrange museum in Prestonpans has cancelled its holiday programme ranging from story telling to family activity days after seven caravans set up camp on July 5.

East Lothian Council has since taken legal action to evict the travellers, and has warned that their presence has blocked access to the visitors' centre and raised safety concerns."

yip! I noticed this morning that they were back - they must be having a right laugh at the Council after they spent most of yesterday putting these height restrictions in place. I know you can't tar everyone with the same brush and I am sure that some are fine but they should be charged for clearing up their own mess. The ones that are sitting there this morning don't exactly look like they are struggling as they had a BMW and a Audi convertible with them - where am I going wrong - oh that's right I work for a living

gonzo wrote:

I know you can't tar everyone with the same brush and I am sure that some are fine but they should be charged for clearing up their own mess.

...but they can tar your drive for you....cash in hand, like. No questions asked!

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/eastlothian/Travellers-put-a-stop-to.6421110.jp

http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/roundup/articles/2010/07/15/402385-travellers-warn-msp-well-be-back/

They seem to be getting around all over the place, saw a load of them at South Queensferry in the field across from the Dakota hotel. Why can nobody sort out this problem?

Like it Sam! if only Gene Hunt was around eh! things would be a lot easier

gonzo wrote:

Like it Sam! if only Gene Hunt was around eh! things would be a lot easier

A great suggestion - we need some un-PC PCs to sort it out. How about Gene Hunt, Jack Regan, Frank Burnside and "Dirty" Harry Callaghan for starters?
Anyone got any other suggestions?

F*ck me! there's millions of them now!

I saw them on my way home and you're right, they're all over the place. It's as if they're trying to make a point by saying that it'll take more than a few silly barriers to stop us

Its a sea of caravans, noticed there was only about 15 cars parked there this morning - most people have obviously thought twice about leaving their cars there.

Coming home last night I witnessed a carvan being driven over the pavement so it could get out where the buses come in to turn. They are going to have to put ballards up on the pavements to stop them driving over if they are ever going to stop them.

Well, I went for another look - a proper look........ and I had a totally radical idea which involved actually talking to them.

I didn't see any litter. They seem to be putting their rubbish into plastic bin liners outside their caravans.
Vehicles all seemed to be road taxed.
They've even brought in their own water supplies.
The people all seemed to be paragons of cleanliness...... and extremely polite.

I'm not doubting Squirrels Revenge's account of earlier bad behaviour, but the current crew are a bit different. You see, they ain't all the same after all.

What are they doing here and why are there so many of them?
Well, the fact is that many travellers are devoutly religious, and the current lot are here for an annual happy-clappy-type-christan event which starts in Edinburgh shortly. It's held at a different location each year, somewhere in Ireland, Scotland or Wales. This year it's Edinburgh's turn.

About 2000 families are expected to arrive in the area over the next few days. So we must fear an major outbreak of praying and singing to the Great Sky Fairy, but no more than that. (Okay, okay..... As happens in any community, some twit will probably do something to let the side down. But don't condemn the whole lot of them just for that.)

I asked how they felt about the local hostility. Sadly, they view it as entirely normal.

I left with my car entirely in tact and not a nit or a flea anywhere about me.