Almost 20 vehicles removed from roads after council takes on responsibility for illegal highway encampments
Almost 20 vans and other vehicles blighting roads across Great Yarmouth have been cleared in recent weeks by council teams.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council receives regular complaints about people living in or abandoning caravans and vans in a variety of locations with - at its height - reports of 35 such vehicles in different roads.
Specialist staff from the council's outreach team, backed by enforcement officers, have provided support and advice for a number of individuals and others have moved on. Five people have been found long-term accommodation and 19 caravans or vans permanently removed so they can't be used by other people.
Kitchener Road in Great Yarmouth was a particular hotspot and is now clear of dumped caravans and vans. The council has now switched its attention to Wellesley Road, Bloomfield Road and South Beach Parade, where there are also vans and caravans abandoned or being lived in.
The work is being carried out after the borough council recently took over responsibility for dealing with highway encampments on behalf of Norfolk County Council. It has a small team dedicated to tackling the issue - which has become increasingly prevalent across the country, with places like Bristol and Brighton particularly affected.
Councillor Paul Wells, Great Yarmouth Borough Council's portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste, said: ''We know how frustrated residents have been when they see abandoned vehicles or people living in vans on residential streets.
''There are no waste, utilities or other facilities for people living in such circumstances and these are wholly inappropriate places for vehicles to be parked up permanently. Other vehicles are dumped and become a target for vandalism and crime.
''Since the council recently took on responsibility from Norfolk County Council for dealing with illegal highway encampments in the borough our teams have been working closely with individuals to offer advice and the right help - five people have been found homes as a result.
''This is a sight becoming increasingly common across the UK and we are making a difference locally to clear up our streets, while at the same time providing all the support we can for people who might need assistance.''
