Gypsies invade park and ride

BUS bosses have been forced to abandon a park and ride site after their vehicles came under attack following a takeover by gypsy travellers.

Lothian Buses said it had re-routed its services away from the 600-space Straiton facility, which is now home to around 45 caravans, following the attacks which included stones being thrown at its vehicles.

Council bosses have now given the travellers 24 hours to leave the site after they moved in late last week.

Iain Coupar, marketing director for Lothian Buses, said the latest incident had led the bus company to avoid using the park and ride facility, picking up passengers from the street outside instead.

He said: "We've shut the travel centre due to the problems with travelling people. We don't want to put passengers under any form of threat and we've taken the decision not to put the buses in there until further notice. We're going to stay out until the whole thing is sorted. We're not going to jeopardise our buses, our staff or our customers."

Around 20 caravans and motor homes parked at Straiton on the southern outskirts of the Capital last October.

The council eventually sought a court order and the travellers were moved on.

Edinburgh has just one official site for gypsies and travellers, which is operated by the city council at North Cairntow, Duddingston, and has just 20 pitches.

Around 400 caravans and 1,500 visitors are expected in the Capital for the Christian Festival of Spirituality and Peace, one of the biggest traveller festivals in Europe, due to take place in the Gypsy Brae area of Granton from July 25.

But while travellers have been given permission to stay at Gypsy Brae during the festival, the council said they had no right to park up at Straiton.

Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, the city's transport convener, said overnight stays at the park and ride site were illegal.

He said: "Quite apart from the obvious inconvenience caused to customers, the costs associated with having the travelling people removed, together with the subsequent clean-up, run into thousands of pounds."

Johnny Connors, a spokesman for the encampment - there to attend the Gypsy Brae festival - apologised for any intimidation felt by bus users but said the culprits were young children who had been reprimanded.

"It was not adults doing that (throwing the stones]," he said. "It was kids and as soon as we found out about it we saw to it that it didn't happen again.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience caused and apologise for it," said the 30-year-old."If there is a problem we would like someone to tell us about it and will put it right."

And he added: "We are born-again Christian and we are not going to threaten anyone because it's not what we believe."

Mr Connors said no representatives from the bus company had approached him to discuss the incident and invited travel chiefs to meet him to discuss any concerns.