Letter: Travellers' land

I noted that Brian Adam MSP has called on Scotland's local authorities to do more to ensure travellers do not occupy land illegally (your report, 31 August).

The issue of travelling people occupying land which does not belong to them is an emotive one, and a problem which landowners across Scotland contend with every year.

To avoid unnecessary distress, it is important that landowners find out their rights. Travellers can be removed within days if land owners apply to the court and obtain necessary orders. This process gives travellers the opportunity to leave voluntarily, and in most cases they leave once proceedings have begun as they realise the "game is up".

If they don't leave voluntarily, landowners can obtain a formal removal order from the court at the same time as obtaining an interdict, prohibiting the travellers from returning to the property.

Although this will incur an expense, in the absence of a change in the law it is the only sure-fire way for land to be protected and to avoid potentially higher costs in repairing damage caused to the property.

Stuart Clubb

HBJ Gateley Wareing

Canning Street

Edinburgh