Occupied Taunton Park and Ride Reopens

Gateway Park and Ride site next to M5 junction 25 at Taunton looked like the morning following a huge party this morning, after a group of travellers that parked up there on Friday left over the weekend. There was rubbish strewn around the verges near the exit and across part of the site, where it was stated only ten wagons were parked up on Friday.

Somerset County Council and Webberbus which runs the service took the decision to close the site all day on Saturday for safety reasons with little children running around, leaving shoppers with having to come into the town to park.

Now there is a big mess to clean up, it is such a shame when people see a sight like this, it does not do anything for good relations with the traveller community. If they are Gypsies,they keep their inside spaces immaculate so why the mess outside?

The unlawful occupation of the site thankfully did not turn into a confrontation, the council spokesperson said they left of their own accord on Saturday night  but to look at the aftermath you would think they had battled their way out!

Many people who work in town use the Park & Ride so would have been grateful to find it re-opened today but it is a huge site and I have never seen it full, not even when the Olympic flame came to town, I wonder if they are regretting such a large site which may leave them vulnerable to further such occupations.