Travellers move on from Torvean Park but a second makeshift campsite spotted on open space behind Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis – the Gaelic School
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A second makeshift Traveller encampment has been spotted in Inverness this morning.
The first, which was at Torvean Park, now has no Travellers as all the caravans which were pitched there have now left.
When the Inverness Courier visited the second site, on open space behind Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis – the Gaelic School – near Sir Walter Scott Drive, this morning the photographer saw there were five caravans parked there.
However, he felt they were not from Torvean Park because the group had a horse on the site.
A spokesman said: “The Highland Council is aware of the unauthorised Gypsy/Traveller encampment at land behind Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis.
"Our staff are liaising with the people involved and progressing the ‘Policy on supporting cooperation and managing unauthorised camps’, which sets out the multi-agency responsibilities and arrangements for responding to roadside encampments.
“A copy of the policy can be viewed on our website.”
Councillor Duncan Macpherson, who represents the council's Inverness South ward, said he was alerted to their presence off the Southern Distributor Road by a local resident and visited the site during the early hours of this morning.
He said that the group at Torvean Park had moved on just moments before a local government order for their eviction was about to be enforced by Highland Council Travellers Liaison Officers.
Cllr Macpherson added: "This group of transient workers and their families appear to have begun a game of cat and mouse and once moved on by council staff from Torvean Park at the former golf course, they’ve simply moved a couple of miles further along from the Westlink onto the Southern Distributor Road and effectively put two fingers up to the officials and the whole process of eviction orders will begin all over again.
"They could repeat this process – set up unofficial camps on accessible ground – across the Inverness area week after week, all summer long.
"It’s time for proper travellers' campsite facilities to be made available at a suitable location and direct the annual influx of Travellers there, rather than have this event repeated continually each summer season in the Highland Capital.”
The camp at Torvean Park forced organisers of the Torvean Parkrun to cancel last weekend's event but in a social media post this week a spokesman said: "We are pleased to announce that Parkrun will be back on Saturday, June 18, and Torvean Junior Parkrun will return on Sunday.
"We look forward to seeing you all at the weekend and thank you for your understanding.
"We are now looking for volunteers for this Saturday."
