NEW BUNDS will be built and new bollards put in place to prevent travellers from camping on public land near the Kingston Stream in Taunton.

More than 650 concerned residents petitioned Taunton Deane Borough Council in October 2018, saying travellers had caused them “months of hell” over the summer.

The council promised to look at what changes could be put in place to keep the green space open to residents while deterring travellers from camping on there.

The changes will be implemented at the Kingston Stream site over the Easter holidays, with further measures for other sites following in due course.

Since 2017, the council has taken legal action against travellers on the Kingston Stream site five times, with a total clean-up cost of £5,000.

Action has also been taken at the Blackbrook Leisure Centre four times over the same period, with a clean-up bill of £4,000, as well as several incidents at Higher Holway, Firepool, Cleeve Road Playing Field and Hamilton Park.

Shirlene Adam, the council’s director of operations, laid out her intentions for the Kingston Stream at a scrutiny committee meeting in Taunton on Tuesday evening (March 5).

She said: “Two removable bollards will be put in place on Wellspring Road, which will stop travellers using the existing access road.

“We will also do some landscaping to create a bund on Enmore Road, near the access to the allotments.”

A bund will also be created at Hope Corner Lane to prevent access from that end of the site.

Ms Adam said her team had considered using boulders instead of bollards – as has been adopted by Mendip District Council – but concluded it would not be in the best interests of residents.

She explained: “We do not believe this is the best solution when we we want this open space to be used by the community.”

Councillor Libby Lisgo said she hoped the proposed solution would be effective.

She said: “If we do not get this sorted out in the right way, we really need to go back and try again.”

An update on the council’s wider traveller strategy, including the future of the Otterford B site in the Blackdown Hills, will come before the new Somerset West and Taunton Council later in the year.

Following the meeting, Liz Goldworthy – one of the original campaigners – praised the council’s decision in a post on the Kingston Stream Open Space Petition Facebook page.

She said: “The council are aware that there is a big chance the travellers will return at Easter, and taking this into account they have assured me that the measures will be in place by Easter.

“They are making us a priority, and I am glad we have a definitive timeline.”

“I obviously cannot guarantee that this will stop the travellers, as we know they can be very persistent. But I feel this is a huge step forward and hopefully it will be enough to make them think twice about coming onto our space.”