A GROUP of travellers have parked in the former Groundwell Park and Ride site, after arriving on Tuesday afternoon.

It is understood that they got into the redundant land, in Cricklade Road, by breaking locks on the entrance gates.

There are 19 caravans at the site with the authorities working to get them off the site.

There are two sets of travellers at the grounds, with half previously being moved from Kembrey Park while the others were moved from the Rivermead Industrial Estate on Tuesday.

Coun Joe Tray (Labour, Penhill and Upper Stratton), said: “The police have been informed and they will be working with the council to issue a trespass notice to get them off the grounds.

“This is not a suitable site for travellers as there are no toilets or cleaning facilities, which means people shouldn’t be living there.

“It is extremely annoying that we keep getting travellers on to the site and I think it shows that the council need to find a use for the land to stop this from repeatedly happening.”

Wiltshire Police visited the site and asked the travellers to leave but they refused.

Police then worked with the council to issue a trespass notice, and it was expected that the group would have been moved from the park and ride yesterday evening.

A resident, who was walking near to the site and saw the travellers, said: “I was going for a walk and was shocked to see that they had got into the site.

“I’d read earlier in the week that some travellers had been moved on from other parts of the town and I did wonder whether the two incidents might be related.

“There was a lot of rubbish littered around the site which was very sad to see.

“I know the authorities are restricted in what they can do but if they’re moved from the park and ride they’re only going to set up elsewhere in the town.”