A Fife MP has called for urgent action to tackle the growing problem of travellers setting up illegal encampments.
And Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes and Central Fife) is adamant that this “blight” cannot be allowed to go on.
He hit out after being contacted by a Glenrothes company which once again has a group of travellers camping on its land at the Southfield Industrial Estate.
Mr Roy said, “Once again I have a constituent who is being forced to take expensive legal action to remove travellers from his land and he will doubtless also face additional costs for cleaning up the mess that these people often leave behind.
“So concerned is this company that it is considering putting up defences to forcibly prevent this happening again.
“It is plainly shocking that they might have to resort to this expensive solution and it doesn’t address the problem because the travellers would simply set up elsewhere.
“I accept that many of them are very well behaved and cause no problems but unfortunately some of their number believe they are above the law and don’t care what damage they cause or what mess they leave behind.
“I have repeatedly urged that more powers be given to the police to deal with this matter but the Scottish Government seems extremely reluctant to act decisively to deal with this blight that is affecting so many people throughout Fife.No harrassment”I do not wish the travellers to be harassed and I fully accept that they have certain rights but it must be remembered that the citizens of Fife have rights, too. At the moment it seems a bit of a one-way street.”
Mr Roy first demanded that more powers be given to police last year after two local firms were forced to spend almost £40,000 repairing damage and clearing up the mess left by travellers.
Last month Fife Council made a move along similar lines when it submitted a paper to CoSLA and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland making a case for changing the law north of the border to bring it into line with the rest of the UK-giving police powers to deal with gypsy travellers who do not comply with the law on private sector land.
Mr Roy added, “A change in the law is long overdue and I urge MSPs to make this a priority once the new Scottish Government is in place.
“It is neither right nor fair that that anyone, be they private firms, local authorities, etc, should face huge bills to evict travellers from their land and clear up the mess and the situation must not be allowed to continue.”