THE travellers who refused to leave the Cotswold District Council (CDC) owned Beeches Car Park in Cirencester have now moved on.

After their arrival last weekend, the council received many reports that the group, which parked their cars and caravans in a number of spaces, was having a negative impact on local residents, businesses and motorists who use the car park.

After several unsuccesful attempts to persuade the travellers to leave, the council issued an injuction against them using the site and gave them a final deadline of today for them to leave.

The injunction prompted the travellers to leave the site yesterday and all the spaces in the Beeches Car Park are now available for use again.

Working with Cirencester Town councillors, CDC officers alerted a street cleaning firm Ubico Ltd to attend the car park as soon as the travellers left and it has cleared most of the litter that travellers left behind.

Chris Hancock, CDC’s cabinet member for enterprise and partnerships, said: “I would like to thank everyone who helped to bring about a successful outcome to this thorny issue, both at the district and town council level as well as the local police. Ubico also deserve praise for their clean-up efforts. I am also extremely grateful for the patience shown by local residents, motorists and traders during our negotiations with the travellers and the subsequent preparation of detailed evidence to effect their removal by legal means.

“Because a considerable number of spaces were unavailable during the occupation of the site, we allowed season ticket holders for the Beeches car park to also use the nearby Waterloo if they wished. This offer still remains valid until the end of Friday Junly 3.”

David Henson, one of the Cirencester Town Council ward members for St Michael’s Ward, provided a detailed statement about community impact to support the CDC's application for an injunction.

He said: “The Beeches car park is in my ward and I also live near to the car park, so I have been very much aware first-hand of the negative effect of the traveller encampment on many local residents and businesses over the last few days.”