Say ‘no’ to Government’s plan to strengthen police powers against Travellers

On 5 November 2019, the Government launched a consultation to strengthen police powers against roadside Travellers. We need as many people as possible to stand up and fight against the Government’s plans. The information below shows the possible changes and explains how you can respond to the consultation. These are some of the most harmful changes affecting Gypsies and Travellers for decades – your voice should be heard.

The Government’s plan could:

• Make trespass a crime – resulting in prison, a fine or your vehicle being taken from you.
• Make it a crime for you to stop alongside or on the road – they will be able to move you along.
• Make it so police can act when there’s two vehicles, instead of six. A car, a trailer and a van would count as three vehicles.
• Make it so police can force you to go to a transit site in another county.
• Make it so you’re banned from an area for one year instead of three months.

This will affect anyone who stops on land that they do not own, this includes common land.

The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 4 March 2020.

How to respond

Please complete this short form and we will send your views to the Home Office.

You can also see Friend’s Families and Travellers’ full response to the consultation here, which explains why we are against the changes in much more detail.

If you need help with any of the above and want us to help you with submitting your views please phone Victoria on 01273 234 777.

Keep in touch with us – sign up to our consultation mailing list or join our Facebook group for the consultation.

Please note: There may be grounds for a legal challenge on this consultation – if you think these changes will affect you and want to look into this, then get in touch with us.