A group of travellers who arrived in Halewick Lane, Sompting, last week have become the first group to make use of a newly opened Transit Camp near Chichester.
Managed by West Sussex County Council, and created by a partnership of the County Council and the District and Borough authorities (including Adur & Worthing Councils), the West Sussex Transit Site offers nine short stay pitches for the members of the travelling communities who pass through Sussex each year.
Neil Parkin (Conservative), Leader of Adur District Council, says:
“Now that the transit site is open, Sussex Police have an additional power to deal with unauthorised encampments, since it provides an appropriate stopping site for the gypsy and traveller community travelling through the county.”
“In this instance, the group moved on of their own accord once they realised that somewhere appropriate to their needs was available.”
“I am delighted that the site is now up and running. Not only will this innovative West Sussex-wide partnership save Adur District Council money, it will help us to reduce the impact of traveller encampments on our communities.”
A similar transit site exists in East Sussex, where communities have experienced a dramatic reduction in the number of unauthorised encampments each year.