Travellers have a bad reputation in many communities, and in our experience, this reputation is largely undeserved…

As with every group of people though, there are a small minority who spoil things for the rest, and in the traveller community, this small minority can prove to be a very big problem…

That’s a problem for the community they are a part of, and a problem for the communities they turn up in.

When you throw a global pandemic into the mix, things just become even more difficult to manage, as we have been learning and adapting to over the last six months or so.

You see, the temporary coronavirus legislation that restricted much of the work enforcement companies like ours could do, did not stretch to the eviction and removal of trespassers or persons unknown, meaning that clients have still been requesting our assistance when travellers turn up on their sites.

But the whole process has been a little different during these unprecedented times.
Here’s how…

Police Involvement -

For a start, the police have been very keen for us to crack on, as it were, with traveller removals, mainly because their workforce is already incredibly stretched with the pandemic working conditions, and the fact that they can do without the added case load of crime that traveller communities can occasionally bring.

(Remember, that’s the minority we’re talking about…)

Speedy Removals -

It is always in the best interests of all parties to ensure a speedy removal, and in most cases, our team arrive on site within hours of the first phone call. The relationships we establish and cultivate with these groups mean that we are always successful.

It’s good for the landowner. It’s good for the community. And it’s good for the travellers too, as it means they are more likely to get to a more permanent settlement much more quickly, than if they were allowed to linger in a place where they are not welcome.

Obtaining a Writ -

Now, whilst common law has still allowed the removal of trespassing travellers during these times, the speediest evictions and removals are those that have been undertaken when a writ has been obtained. We know it can be a pain in the proverbial, but obtaining a writ helps everyone get on with the job at hand.

Notice Periods -

Speediness is the aim of the game, but sometimes, giving the travellers a little more wiggle room makes things go more smoothly, and ultimately more quickly. It sounds counter intuitive, but trust us, allowing longer notice periods can really make a difference, as it shows empathy and understanding when those two qualities are really at a premium right now.

Crying COVID -

We have had to be ready for the expected self isolation claims, with travellers telling us that they have contracted coronavirus and therefore must stay put for at least 2 weeks.

Our response has been carefully thought up when this has been raised, and the advice that the travellers can self isolate at their next pitch has not been refuted with much by way of a come back. In most cases, the COVID-19 card has been played as a last resort. They know that, and so do we.

Traveller Welfare -

As always, the welfare of the travellers is at the forefront of everything we do, and we have maintained our commitment to welfare checks on the people we speak to, their immediate families, and any other members of their community.

PPE -

Our Personal Protective Equipment has been worn throughout, and whilst this can be a little restrictive to the relationships we try to build, we have ensured the safety of our team, the travellers, and members of the wider community on each of our assignments over the course of these challenging past few months.

It hasn’t been easy, but it has been a success, and that’s why our clients continue to place their trust in #TeamCES to effectively remove travellers from site, every single time.

As a final message, we always say that ‘prevention is better than the cure’, and especially now, with all the chaos and the confusion of the pandemic, we would advise all landowners to mitigate against travellers coming onto site, by checking and investing in robust security measures, which can prevent the problem from arising in the first place.