Beach is used as a toilet

Fiona Howard • Published 9 Jul 2010 09:30 0 Comments

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The beach at Cardross is littered with refuse

RESIDENTS claim their village beach is being used as "a toilet" by travellers.

An impromptu campsite recently appeared at the end of Ferry Road in Cardross.

Concerns have been raised about the foreshore and beach, and litter has been strewn around the site.

However, as the Advertiser went to press yesterday (Wednesday), a horse drawn caravan joined the others at the camp.

Tony Davey, chairman of Cardross Community Council, said: "Inquiries of the gentleman who was driving the horses indicate he and his family are from Cornwall travelling the country and that it is his intention to remain on site to rest himself and the horses for as long as that takes."

"He said that he had heard about the site on the grapevine.

"These new arrivals have caused even more concern for the residents of the area the mood of the residents is now to take some form of action to stop these vehicles using Ferry Road.

"I urge all agencies concerned to adopt a more robust stance in the removal of the travelling people.

"On Friday July 1 an e-mail was sent to [the landowner] requesting his action but to date no reply has been received."

One resident said: "To start with there were about eight caravans and vans with a whole community of travelling people.

"They are using the shore as a toilet and the whole area is littered with toilet paper and other refuse.

"We have raised a number of issues with Argyll and Bute Council like the human excrement on the paths surrounding the site - the beach area in front of the site is being used as a toilet.

"The travellers are also speeding in the area in large vans and a petrol generator is running late into the night."

"We are subjected to drunken behaviour and a general din from the camp, especially at the weekend.

"We have made them aware of many environmental and social issues but the conditions around the site are appalling."

The resident said police had been helpful in dealing with the problems, but was frustrated by the council's lack of action.

He said: "We really expected some form of action from the council with regards to the mess on the beach.

"It is clearly an environmental issue and a welfare issue as children are living on the site which has no running water or sanitation with human waste situated nearby.

"This is spread over a 50-yard area directly on the beach behind the caravans.

"Quite honestly it is absolutely bewildering why the council has not acted on the serious concerns of the community it serves, or for that matter, kept us informed.

"We understand the council need to be sensitive with such issues, however, not to the extent they have been with these travellers. The travellers may be a minority group, however, I can assure you it is the local residents whose human rights are being infringed, not those of the travellers who are making life in the area pretty miserable at the moment.

"The balance is certainly in the favour of the 'minority' group."

An Argyll and Bute Council spokesman said: "This camp is on private land belonging to Ardoch Estates.

"In cases such as this, it is only the landowner who can make representation to the courts in a bid to have the travellers removed.

"The council is of course monitoring the situation closely, and has no current concerns regarding the welfare of children on the site.

"Our officers have visited the site several times and we also attended the last community council meeting, along with the police, to update the community on the matter.

"We understand the landowner is returning to Scotland from abroad this week.

"There has been significant correspondence with him on this issue already, and we expect him to take action on his return."

This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 08 Jul 10

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