A group of travellers have abandoned their camp on Tooting Common and moved on this morning (Thursday) after being warned to leave or face legal action.

The travellers arrived on the common yesterday (Wednesday) and were immediately warned that unless they left within 24 hours they would face prosecution and risk having their vehicles towed away.

Camping overnight on any part of Tooting Common, without prior authorisation from the council, is a criminal offence under parks and open spaces byelaws.

The council has powers to physically remove any person, and their belongings, including vehicles, if they do not comply with the byelaws.

Environment spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook said: “I am delighted that the swift and firm action we took to protect the common has paid off and that these travellers have been quickly sent on their way.

“We placed officers from our parks police team on the common overnight to make sure that no other vehicles joined this unlawful camp. As a result of this firm action these travellers have been moved on very quickly, ensuring the common did not suffer any long lasting damage.”

Residents who witness any incident involving travellers on council-owned land are being urged to contact the town hall's emergency response team on (020) 8871 6900. This is a 24 hour service. Occupations of other land should be reported immediately to the police.

The council provides an approved travellers site in Trewint Street, Earlsfield.

Travellers back on Tooting Common

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How can they enforce a fine if, chances are, they don't even know where they are?

Did the council say anything?

Those travellers are a disgrace, what an utterly appalling thing to do.

So travellers who dump FORTY TONS of rubbish on the common get fined £2300

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/new ... ?ref=var_0

I park my car without a parking permit I get fined £120.

Really?

Can we ask Wandsworth Council how that is fair.

Annabel, can you do that?

I can shed some light on where they get all that rubbish from.

At the same time as the travellers turned up on Tooting Common I got a knock at the door from a guy with a white van asking for £30 to take away a bunch of builders waste in my driveway. I quizzed him about flytipping and where he would take it and he spun me a story about taking up to a recycling centre in Brent. I didn't have any cash on my so he said he would be back later.

He never came back and I later found out the travellers were evicted that day. Without wanting to incriminate myself or anyone else, I am now sure that he was a traveller and he was spending his day around area charging money to take rubbish off peoples hands and dumping it on Tooting Common. He was being assisted by a boy of about 9 years old and when I asked him why he wasn't at school they shifted about and ignored the question.

So if you ever get door-stepped for money to take away your rubbish and they can't show you a licence, don't believe them: it will end up dumped somewhere and you'll pay twice when your taxes are used to clean up the mess!

Great, yet more rubbish & mess that will need to be cleared up & paid for by for those of us paying council tax!

I wonder if anyone will spring to their defence again!!

It's appalling. They should be charged!!!

And they've done it again

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