Travellers at a controversial site in Billericay have vowed to set up a committee to combat traffic problems and improve relations with the community.

Improving the environment for everyone who lives in and around the travellers site in Oak Lane, Crays Hill, is the aim of the new committee due to be set up in the coming weeks.

The idea has come from Dr Donald Kenrick from the Gypsy Council who said travellers on the site are keen to set up the group to address the traffic problems in Oak Lane and Oak Road.

The make-up of the committee will include Dr Kenrick, Grattan Puxon, also from the Gypsy Council, traveller, Patrick Gore plus four other representatives from the site.

Large vehicles blocking the road and speeding will be among the issues discussed by the group.

The move comes after the travellers won the right to stay on the Green Belt land for two years at a crunch planning appeal decision announced last week.

Government planning inspector, Felix Bourne, dismissed their appeal for planning permission but gave the travellers two years to evict the site.

Dr Kenrick, said: "We hope to set up a committee to discuss some of disturbances that have been raised by both residents and travellers so we can overcome them.

"Traffic problems, speeding and large vehicles using Oak Lane, Oak Road and other nearby roads are a key problem."

Yet Crays Hill Parish councillor, Harry Scott, said he would not be prepared to meet with the committee: "Once you start negotiating with travellers you are giving them legitimacy which I don't think they have. If you remove the travellers, you remove the traffic problem."

Resident of Oak Road, Len Gridley, whose garden back onto the site, said: "I would be happy to meet with the travellers and the Gypsy Council but they have to listen to the resident's point of view, not just put their views across."

Published Monday, June 2, 2003

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