Work has begun on the installation of a barrier to the entrance of Red Meadow car park on Tuesday, April 4th.

Last summer, the Ross Gazette reported that Ross Town Council had agreed to pay up to £3,500 towards the cost of installing barriers at Red Meadow car park in an effort to prevent groups of Travellers from staying there.

This followed many months of local residents urging the Town Council to pay to install a barrier at the car park entrance, after members of the Travelling community frequently stayed in the car park.

Several Ross residents attended a Town Council meeting in July 2016 to plead for the barriers after they witnessed littering, shoplifting and defecating in public.

On Tuesday afternoon, April 4th, local people were pleased to hear that Ross Town Council’s contractor was on site to start the groundworks for the installation of the barrier.

Richard Mayo, who is a member of both Ross Town Council and Herefordshire County Council, told the Ross Gazette:?“I am very glad that work has finally started on the Red Meadow barrier, especially after the recent incursion, I am however frustrated over how long it took to get all the necessary permissions.”

In December, at a full meeting of Ross Town Council, The Town Clerk reported that everything was in place for the installation of the barrier, but they were still waiting on Herefordshire Council’s solicitors to sign the licence.

Councillor Mayo, said:?“A majority of the Town Council backed my proposal to install a barrier and, thanks to them and the hard work by officers, we will finally be able to protect this vital car park from illegal encampments. The choice was simple, do something or do nothing. Thankfully we did something.”

A spokesperson for Herefordshire Council told the Ross Gazette:?“The groundworks will take a little while to cure so we anticipate the installation of the barrier will be in a few weeks’ time.”

A member from Ross Town Council’s staff added that disruption will be kept to a minimum during the installation, and although the work started on April 4th, it is likely to be about two weeks before the barrier is ready.