Bradford Travellers demand fair treatment from council

Travellers from Mary Street Caravan Site in Bradford recently visited their local MP Imran Hussain to show him their film raising concerns about poor conditions and maintenance on their council run site.

The residents had been trying to get Bradford City Council to act for years.

‘We had just had enough,’ said resident Ruth, ‘it didn’t matter what we did or said we were just being ignored, it felt like we didn’t have a voice’.

‘Imran was great’, said Margaret, another resident who was at the meeting. “He watched the film and really got it, it felt like he understood us”.

In the film shown to Imran, the residents talk about the main issues they want fixed by the council which included fencing for the plots, letting out the empty plots in a timely manner and maintenance and repairs – including to the site managers building at the entrance to the site.

The residents also raise concerns about a young woman expecting a child with two young children, who was evicted from the site by the council after pulling onto a plot without permission.

A few months ago, in total frustration that Bradford City Council were not listening to their concerns, residents rang the Gypsy and Traveller charity Leeds GATE to see if we could help in any way.

Lees GATE visited the site and together with residents made a short film which highlighted some of the issues faced by people living on the 28 pitch site. The video was then posted on You Tube and after three weeks the film had had over 1,000 views.

Leeds GATE also booked an appointment with local MP for Bradford East Imran Khan.

Imran is well known in the local area for his commitment to equality, fairness and justice for all and advocates for all his constituents from all communities.

The Travellers’ Times contacted Bradford Council to ask them what they were going to do about the complaints and about finding a plot for an expecting mother of two evicted onto the road, but they refused to provide any answers.

The Travellers’ Times will be following further developments alongside Leeds GATE, and understand that some maintenance work is now taking place at Mary Street. However, we also understand that the evicted mother has since moved on from the unauthorised roadside pitch by the side of the site and still has nowhere legal to put her caravan.