Vaccinated travellers 'shouldn't need to be tested' says Theoharis

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Home Secretary Priti Patel will strengthen police powers and create a criminal offence to target people who live in vehicles on land without permission and who cause “distress” to communities. She said: “This new offence will enable the police to fine or arrest those residing on private or public land in vehicles without permission to stop significant disruption, distress or harm being caused to the lawabiding majority. “I am delivering on my commitment to give the police the powers they need to tackle these encampments swiftly and effectively.”

The law will also be changed so that people who are directed away from land must not return for 12 months. Offenders face a prison sentence of up to three months and a fine of up to £2,500 but measures will be tightly defined so as not to affect occasional campers, as well as ramblers and hikers.

The new powers follow a 2019 public consultation in which two-thirds of people responding on behalf of local authorities were in favour of a new criminal offence.

Police will also be able to consider a broader range of factors when enforcing the law, including interference with access to water, gas and electricity supplies, and noise and littering.

A Home Office source said: “The Government recognises people’s right to a nomadic life but this must be balanced against the rights of landowners and local communities, who are entitled to live their lives without having to deal with the significant problems which some unauthorised encampments can cause.”

The Government will continue to support the creation of more authorised sites for travellers. In January last year there were 356 transit pitches in England and Wales – an increase of 41 percent on a decade earlier.

Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Ashfield, said that illegal camps were a major source of complaints. “There is a direct correlation when an illegal camp is set up to increased crime, pet theft, antisocial behaviour, thieving and all sorts of nonsense.

“I welcome this news from the Home Secretary. It’s been a long time coming and I would suggest to anyone who wants to live or roam freely in a caravan that they do the same as the rest of us – which is go to a licensed site, pay £30 a night, enjoy all the amenities and enjoy your holiday.”

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