Injunction against van dwellers to begin next year

An injunction to stop people living in vehicles on roads around the Downs will not be in place until February at the earliest.

Bristol City Council announced in November that it had designated the encampments on the Downs as having a "high impact", meaning it would take steps to move people on.

On 2 December enforcement notices were placed on vehicles, requesting people vacate the area within seven days or face legal action.

A court hearing has been scheduled for 5 February, when the council is expected to start the process that would prevent people living by the roadside in the area.

An injunction has been in place since July covering the grassed areas of Clifton Down, Durdham Down and Ladies Mile.

At Bristol County Court, the council indicated it was "minded" to apply to extend the area covered by the injunction to cover the roads around the Downs.

The solicitor for the council, Robin Denford, said that "welfare assessments were being undertaken and from that a course of action will flow."

But several people living in vans have told the BBC they have not had any contact from the council, beyond the notices that were attached to their windows.

The council has 65 pitches on "meanwhile sites" where vehicle dwellers pay a small fee in return for basic services, but all of these are taken and a waiting list is in operation.

In June the authority announced it wanted to expand the number of pitches available, but none have so far been created.

Mr Denford said he recognised there was likely to be opposition to any application to extend the injunction to cover all roads on the Downs, telling the court it "will take some time to be litigated."

He added that the existing injunction had worked "extremely well" and allowed the council to "negotiate" with the people who were living on the grass and "arrange an orderly withdrawal".

A hearing has been scheduled for 10:00 GMT on 5 February at Bristol County Court.