(Image: Stamford Bridge Parish Council)
A PARISH council has closed a car park following reports of Travellers pitching up at three separate sites near York.
Stamford Bridge Parish Council has closed the community’s overflow car park in response to reports of Travellers setting up camp close to Gate Helmsley – less than 1.4 miles away.
The local authority said the carpark exists as a community field and had security measures installed following three Traveller encampments that have occupied the area in the past year.
A representative said: “We have closed the height restrictive barrier, the field’s gate and raised the bollards.
“We put these in place in response to the community’s concerns.
“The incidents were really challenging for Stamford Bridge, and we have to think of the residents who live next to the overflow car park.”
In a post on social media, the Parish Council said they had “not taken the decision lightly”.
It added: “We have taken the decision to secure the field to protect the residents who live closest.
“We expect this to be in place during the Ebor festival and a short period afterwards.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and open the overflow car park as soon as possible.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused, and our main aim is open the car park when it is safe to do so.”
It comes after The Press reported that Travellers’ caravans had camped at Rufforth Playing Fields on Tuesday (August 4).