Travellers with 'large group of caravans' move onto Walsall green
Enforcement action will be taken against a group of travellers with 30 caravans who have moved onto a Walsall common if they don't move on.
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The large group in accompanying cars and vans parked up on Delves Green in Poplar Avenue, in Delves near the border with Sandwell on Monday evening.
West Midlands Police today said officers were liaising with Walsall Council and had been informed the group would be leaving this evening.
The force said enforcement action will be taken if the group do not move on.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We are liaising with our partners Walsall Council after a large group of caravans parked up at Delves Green off Poplar Avenue in Walsall last night.
"We have attended the site to liaise with the group.
"We have been informed they will be leaving this evening and if they don’t enforcement action will be taken."
A spokesman for Walsall Council said: “We have had a report of an unauthorised encampment at Delves Common, Poplar Avenue.
"The council have started the process of regaining lawful possession of the land.”
It's not the first time travellers have set up camp within Walsall borough, with two other encampments having been set up over the last year.
The first one in April 2023 saw around 15 vehicles move onto Sainsbury's car park on Reedswood Business Park on Reedswood Way, while the second in August 2023 saw around three camping caravans and multiple vehicles sit on the patch of grass near the junction of the A4210 and Proffitt Street in Walsall.
That makeshift camp consisted of at least three caravans, four vehicles, and a number of bottles of gas, tables and appliances.
In both instances, Walsall Council and West Midlands Police worked together to ensure the movement away from the greens by the travellers.
The council has also developed a site on Pleck Road for travellers to stay at for short periods.
A spokesman for Walsall Council said: "We have developed a temporary transit site at the junction of Pleck Road and Darlaston Road in Walsall.
"People following a travelling lifestyle can use it to stay in the Borough for short periods."
The site costs £20 a day for a stay of less than a week and £125 a week for longer stays.
To find out more about the travellers site and the facilities available, go to walsall.gov.uk/housing/boats-and-caravans/pleck-traveller-transit-site.
